President Aquino's Porsche 911 Purchase

The news of Noynoy Aquino's Porsche 911 acquisition has drawn too much unwanted attention. But is this justifiable? What makes such a decision grossly intriguing? There are those who, by their rationale, do not express anger, disbelief, or contempt for this volatile action. But many are protesting against what they consider an apparent insensitivity to the plight of most Filipinos.

Had it been a tycoon - the like of Lucio Tan, Henry Sy, or John Gokongwei - who obtained a luxury sports car, no feelings of resentment would have even surfaced. What drastically switches the media spotlight to President Noynoy Aquino stems from the holistic experience of a battered country. Ask a person experiencing poverty why he suffers, and his attention suddenly veers to government corruption, with little or no reflection of his own misdoings. So trite this response has become, that it has in fact become commonplace among Filipinos to share the same sentiment. This, in turn, justifies their claim when things such as Noynoy Acquino's "unethical" opulence happen.

People who stand neutral are content with the idea that the P4.5 million Porsche 911 Noynoy Aquino purchased came at his own expense - not the taxpayers's. At a personal level, Noynoy has all the right to the possession, so long as no evidence should prove otherwise. However, this mars the image his parents put so much effort to establish - one of conscience, love, hope, and peace. But then again, the question of whether his purchase is justifiable or not, rests not on our explosive visceral reactions. There is no difference between keeping P4.5 million in a local bank and concretely transforming it into a vehicle or any other material for that matter.