No time for dates: PNoy's 1st 100 days show unique style

The interactive grid below shows the top Aquino-related stories during his first 100 days in office. Click on the links to read the full article. Concept by Paolo Ferrer, Interactive grid designed by Wayne Manuel, data compiled by Candice Montenegro, Yasmine Arquiza Quality time in traffic At a stoplight in Makati one night in August, a GMANews.TV staff member in an unmarked car noticed a convoy pull up to the intersection and stop along with the rest of the law-abiding motorists. It was President Aquino and his entourage, true to an inauguration pledge that he wouldn’t use sirens and his stature to speed through traffic, despite the presence along the route of the Makati police ready to part the sea of vehicles ahead of him. No one knows what percentage of Aquino’s first 100 days in office was spent in traffic. But anyone who commutes in the metropolis daily knows this was no piddling time commitment. If, like the national budget, presidential time is a national resource, then how PNoy spent his first 100 days is one reflection of his priorities and governing style. GMANews.TV religiously entered into a data base all of his daily known activities since June 30 so we can get a sense of these priorities. What the data base does not tell us is how much time he spent at stoplights and traveling at the same pace as the rest of us. However, the untold extra number of traveling hours reflects this priority – to set an example for other officials who would otherwise bully their way to their destinations. Public opinion so far shows that this is probably a good use of his time. Our readers can judge the rest of the listed activities for themselves. They are displayed in an interactive calendar and in a daily planner format. These are some of the insights we can discern from the data: 1. Despite not having a family of his own, the President is a family man, having lunch on most Sundays with his sisters and their families, the only noticeable ritual in a busy schedule. His US trip was one of the few times they missed the weekly gathering. They usually have lunch at a restaurant or at one of the sister’s homes. They had lunch twice in Bahay Pangarap, the President’s official residence. 2. The President doesn’t like big Cabinet meetings. Unlike his predecessor Gloria Arroyo who often had photo ops meeting with her entire Cabinet, PNoy only had two high-profile Cabinet meetings, one on inauguration day on June 30 and the other right before his State of the Nation Address in July. According to Communications Secretary Ricky Carandang, "The big Cabinet meetings where everybody sits down have proven to be less productive than small Cabinet meetings. The clusters meet on their own. Much more work gets done when you do that. There's really no need for everybody else to be there...it's not a productive use of the time of all the secretaries." 3. The President has been accessible to the media, holding seven press conferences, including the exclusive one with the network anchors last September 9 to address questions about the August 23 hostage tragedy. He has been friendly to the Malacañang press corps with whom he happily engages in repartee and ambush interviews. He occasionally even replies to reporters' text messages. His predecessor, Gloria Arroyo, was notoriously inaccessible and grouchy towards the media. 4. Like his recent predecessors, PNoy had much more official face time with the business class than with the working class. Our data base reveals that he graced corporate and private events 17 times, while he met with the urban poor once. 5. In his first 100 days, PNoy didn’t do any weddings. Unlike other politicians, even presidents, who will spend precious time standing as ninongs or ninangs at the weddings of friends and allies, and their children, Aquino did not. Or perhaps he was just not invited. 6. There is no record during the first 100 days of dates with official girlfriend Shalani Soledad or with any other women. President Aquino, a 50-year-old bachelor, told news anchor Mel Tiangco that he has little time for his personal life. “Sa totoo lang ho kung saka-sakaling magkaroon ng oras, wala naman pong privacy maski anong puntahan natin, (Even if I had time, we wouldn't have any privacy no matter where we went)," he said wistfully. There is also no record of Shalani visiting PNoy in Malacañang. 7. Unlike his mother, former President Cory Aquino, PNoy is not a frequent church goer. Our data base only has him going to Mass thrice in his first 100 days. 8. But that’s at least more times than he has gone to a mall or a fashion show, once each. The fashion show was for designer Rhett Eala’s 20th anniversary. 9. He went to three wakes and visited one hospital patient, the bar exams bombing victim Raissa Laurel.