Friday, January 22, 2010

Noynoy's Leadership in Facebook Perspective (A Youth's Perspective)

Noynoy's Leadership in Facebook Perspective (A Youth's Perspective)

I've been reading some write-ups about why Noynoy should not be voted for as president this coming 2010. However, I do not intend to discuss anything about that. I only wish to discuss how disorderly and inappropriate the comments in Noynoy's Faceboy fanpage are, specifically those made by Admin-2 who calling himself as "Pogi". This is so because I believe that it has some bearing about how his leadership might be if elected. Let us not box ourselves, though.

Why I Supported Noynoy

I have been a supporter of Noynoy for a number of reasons. The greatest of them is that I believe that Noynoy's campaign is not for himself, but for the people around him. This can be good, but it cannot be denied that it can also be a bad thing. I still believed, though, that he is a great unifying tool. Filipinos are not really as united as they could be the last year 2009, except during the demise of our late President Corazon Aquino.

As a youth, it is a momentous and amazing sight to see people gather together just to express their gratefulness for President Cory. I was on the road the day that Pres. Cory was scheduled to be delivered to her mausoleum. The South Luzon Expressway (SLEX) was closed. And, at the time that Pres. Cory's parade was along SLEX already, people were gathering up, both young and old. In my mind I find it senseless because majority of them probably only know very little about who Pres. Cory was aside from what can be seen on TV and other media. I can say that because it speaks true for myself. I have a habit of not celebrating anything that I do not fully understand.

However, as much as I am against going with the bandwagon, I could not help but feel the sincerity of the people to extend their condolence. And, what I liked most about it was, being my first time to behold such an historical event, the way that I felt like it was surreal due to the flock of people. Unity might be the closest word I can describe it with. It was really historical. I have never seen anything like it.

Senator Noynoy's Outstanding Advocacy

After that event, people started coaxing Noynoy to run for President. It started out as a little impractical suggestion for me at first. I doubted that it would be good for Noynoy to take on that proposition because it would clearly be a display of him using his parents' names. But, as time went on, I saw politicians only seeking after the good of their own name. There were those who were fighting over who gets to bear the flag of being the next big politician boss. It was a tragedy. Nobody wanted to lay down his or her own crown (except, maybe, Senator Chiz).

Then again, Senatory Noynoy came back to the picture. He was the perfect tool to stop it all. He was not after his own name at all. This time, he was after the name of his parents (as he so declares in his TV "infomercials"), and the cries of the people who wanted somebody who could lead, and who could unify them. I believe that this is Senatory Noynoy's advocacy, and this is the reason why I supported him.

A Glimpse of What Noynoy's Leadership Can Be (In the Eyes of An Innocent Youth)

As a sign of my support for Senator Noynoy's plausible advocacy, I became a supporter of his Facebook fanpage. It was not something that I would usually do. I do not like tangling myself with politics and doing something that a lot of people would do. However, I found it worth doing. I even followed some of the admin's suggestion to add everyone on my friends list, which I did. Normally, too, I would not do it. I do not like being sent mass invites to, and so I do not wish to do so to others. But, I overcame it in the end. I have also noticed that I was posting on Noy's Facebook page some supportive articles about Noynoy.

It was until one time that I noticed a particular post of another supporter that mocked another political candidate. As a natural response, I commented on it saying that it was not appropriate to do especially on Senatory Noynoy's Facebook page. Proper respect and only appropriate content/comments should ideally be there. As Noynoy supporters ask the other camps to stop their trolling, I believe that they should also not commit the same acts. It is a simple application of the golden rule: do not do unto others what you do not want others to do to you. I added a comment to reverse the message of the post by stating some real facts just to balance things out. It was just a simple act of loving an enemy, even just in the field of politics.

"Trolling" (definition: informal Computing an e-mail message or posting on the Internet intended to provoke an indignant response in the reader) is rampant across different Presidential candidates' Facebook pages. The admins in fact always send messages against its practice.

The responses I received were the most unexpected and shocking of all, especially that of the admin's. Instead of the admin correcting and regulating the original post of mockery, I was the one who got banned. My initial reply post stated that we should not bash others nor play that/their type of game because Noy supporters know better. It was so ironic that it got deleted by the admin, considering the message. The admin then left my second reply post stating some real facts about the mocked candidate, just to balance things out. It then turned out, as wonderfully orchestrated by the admin, to look like I was a supporter of that "other" candidate whom another Noy supporter mocked. (But then, even if I really was, but sadly am not, I should not have been banned from posting any questions.)

Other replies started flooding in. Most of them approved of the mockery that the original post contained. The others threw insults at me. I did not mind it because I know that they simply do not understand the situation. But, ideally speaking, people should not hastily comment whatever the situation may be. It is simple wisdom in words. But then, I might also be a student if we talk about wisdom in words.

The most horrific reply was that of the admin. To be specific, it was Admin-2 who claimed his name to be "Pogi". He began throwing childish and cowardly insults. He even condoned and honored the original post that mocked another political candidate. The worst was that later, he started throwing questions directed to me like, "hey Matthew, where are you now? You've been gone for an hour. Seems like you've chickened out." He did that in front of his audience who were beginning to praise what he was doing. What's most funny and infuriating about it is that he knows I cannot respond to any of the posts, not even clear/clarify myself because he blocked me. In my head was the question if it was appropriate for an admin of Noy's cyber image to do that. He carried Noy's image over the internet, and he should be more careful with his words. Also, he is under Noy's flagship. Anything he does can reflect Senator Noy's name.

I got banned by the admin from posting any more replies. I wanted to clarify myself and protect my dignity. I also wished to save myself from being wrongly framed of being anti-Noy for I was not like that at all. The claim was the exact opposite of who I was, finding out later on that it might actually be a good stand. However, from thereon, I just could not reply anymore. Worse is that I got banned from using Facebook for a time just a few moments after the incident. Someone might have reported my profile as offensive just because of that. People I do not know might have done it.

I am not alone in this event. I can only speak of my own story, but there are others who experienced the same thing. In fact, that admin is also victimizing others by now. If people ask or show doubt about Senatory Noy's capabilities, or even just ask the simplest but most honest of questions about him, they get blocked for the simple reason that the question might not be the most favorable to Senator Noy. Admin-2 is even scouting for some of the people he banned/blocked from replying, then starts taking a screenshot of their names only to post it on Noy's page to be ridiculed by him and other supporters. What's more saddening is that others get sent foul words by Noynoy supporters on Facebook, by people they do not know.

What Do Noynoy Supporters Really Fight For?

Wow. Is that what Noy's fight is all about, since his fight is for what the people wants? Will the Noynoy administration not be able to accept any questions from civilians who might act unfavorably towards Sen. Noy? Will they only listen to what they believe in and close their eyes and ears from the others who do not agree with them? This is really saddening. What's more frightening is that Noynoy's supporter on Facebook is growing in number by the day. I can only hope that those numbers are not representative of the real turnout of votes. Because, from what those numbers have shown through their responses, I can only conclude that most of them are blind followers.

I think that one lesson here is that we should not only look to politicians or political leaders for solutions. We must also check if we ourselves have the right reasons to fight for. This country gets corrupted not only be our leaders' deeds, but also of our own as well. As I have shared to some of my friends, "the only corruption we can eliminate is our own".

Preparedness: An Ingredient of the Bigger Recipe

This really is not a reason for me to not vote for Noynoy. But, this event just gave me a picture of what could happen under Senator Noynoy's leadership. Yes, he might have noble advocacies, but is that enough? Unity might be a good ingredient for good governance. But, that does not complete the recipe.

Things should be done at the right time. Even our good Lord Jesus Christ exemplified this through His own life. He did not show up until the time was right, that was when He was on his thirtieth (30th) year. Only little has been detailed about His younger years, because it was simply just not His time yet. Yes, He was the Messiah, but He was not sent on to His mission until He was prepared, until it was time.

May God bless the Philippines!

Disclaimer: these are only my opinion. I hope that nobody take this against me. We all have our right to express our opinions, and I ask that mine be respected. I do not intend to go against any group or personality. I shared my sentiments to this group because I have faith that the members here have high respect for others' thoughts.

P.S.

Writer's notes: okay na sana lahat eh... wag lang sana yung i-block ako na gumamit ng Facebook para lang sa maliit at walang kakwenta-kwentang away-pulitikang yun? Pathetic! Hehe. :p

Jonathan Swift - "May you live every day of your life."