Noynoy Aquino partying with Valerie Concepcion during Typhoon Sendong

InterAksyon.com asks: “While nation mourns Sendong’s dead, Aquino partying with actresses in Palace?

Remove the question mark. Noynoy WAS partying. Then, you have Manolo Quezon telling blogger Tonyo Cruz via Facebook that having the President visit Cagayan de Oro isn’t really a priority since they must first attend to the logistical requirements of relief operations. How can Noynoy directly supervise that when he is partying? How insensitive can you get?

The timeline of this story is solely based on Valerie Concepcion’s Twitter posts last night. At around 7PM, she wrote:

 “I’m on my way to Malacañang..ü Will sing 2 songs there.. 🙂 Tapos didiretso na ako sa World Trade Center after.. See you there! Booth 814 ;)”

Two hours later, she confirmed her arrival in Malacañang:

“I’m here na sa Malacañang for the PSG Christmas Party..ü Ms. Jessa Zaragosa is here also.. 🙂 3 kanta pala ako dto.. Akala ko 2 lng.. Hehe..”

The next post (made an hour after) has since been deleted by Concepcion, but AksyonTV was able to get a screen grab of it here. It says:

Done w/ work.. Tnx for having me.. 🙂 It was nice to see Pres. P-Noy laughing at my jokes & enjoying my performance..ü #Malacañang #PSGNight,”

From these posts, we can reconstruct this scenario: The Presidential Security Group had their Christmas party last night and they had Jessa Zaragosa and Valerie Concepcion as guest performers. The President, for his part, graced the event. In defense of herself and the President, Concepcion wrote this using TwitLonger:

Valerie Concepcion defends Pres. Noynoy Aquino through a lengthy Twitter post (click image)

I just want to clarify that I was invited to perform at Malacañang’s Christmas Party for their employees with their husbands/wives and kids. Yes, the president attended the gathering. I do not see anything wrong with that since its his obligation and responsibility being the head of Malacañang to be present and show his support for his hardworking employees and their respective families. But I believe that it doesn’t mean that the president is not thinking of ways to help our kababayan(s) in Mindanao. It doesn’t mean that the president is disregarding the plight of our fellow Filipinos. Let’s not be too quick to judge. 

She added: “But if I, in any way, offended you guys and sounded insensitive, I am very sorry. It wasn’t my intention to do either. I can’t imagine how difficult life is for the people affected in Mindanao and how difficult it is to be the president of the Philippines at this moment. Once again, I am very sorry for all those people I have offended. May God bless us all.”

Valerie Concepcion defends Pres. Noynoy Aquino through Twitter - Part II

Early Sunday night (or an hour or two before the PSG Christmas party), the National Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (NDRRMC) announced that the President will be visiting the affected communities in Cagayan de Oro and Lanao del Norte on December 27.

NDRRMC: Aquino to visit Cagayan De Oro on December 20, not 27 (click image)

Later on, Edgardo J. Ollet, Chief of the NDRRMC Operations Center, claimed that December 27 is merely a typographical error, and that the President is indeed scheduled to visit tomorrow, December 20.  Will we take NDRRMC’s word for it, or did the ensuing negative reactions from netizens forced them to set Aquino’s visit a week earlier?

Here’s what the President and the PSG should have done to show good taste: Cancel the party altogether, and instead forward the money set aside for it (including Valerie’s talent fee!) to the relief efforts done in Mindanao.  Maybe they can ask the PSG and even Valerie herself to assist there for more PR value.

Read: Valerie draws flak for partying with PNoy from ABS-CBNNews.com

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Mark Pere Madrona

The Filipino Scribe (TFS) is managed by Mark Pere Madrona, a multi-awarded writer and licensed professional teacher from the Philippines. Mr. Madrona earned his master’s degree in history from the University of the Philippines-Diliman last 2020. He obtained his bachelor’s degree in journalism cum laude from the same university back in 2010. His area of interests includes Philippine journalism, history, and politics as well as social media. Know more about him here: https://www.filipinoscribe.com/about/.

19 thoughts on “Noynoy Aquino partying with Valerie Concepcion during Typhoon Sendong

  1. Giving is not something to demand from the giver , it cannot be possibly asked on what money they are going to give . The money they spent for christmas are their own , and it is not something you will force them to give . Perhaps , they can allocate something solely for the calamity victims .

      1. The Office of The President not attending to the calamity and making heads roll (DENR for approving the deferestation, PAGASA for failing to give early warning, LGUs and the local congressman for approving the logging) is not a mere “losing brownie points”.

        It is criminal dereliction of duty and an immoral lack of concern.

      2. I think you have to understand what I said based on its context. I am just speaking about the PSG party. I am not (yet) talking about how he should react to this disaster in a broader sense. Your second comment is right on.

        Thanks for stopping by.

      1. Yes it is his job. That is why there are the different government agencies under the Executive branch that does all the legwork. It is not required that he be the one to individually pass on the relief goods to each affected calamity victim. This is mostly done by those politicians who want to look good in front of the press.

        You’re stupid.

      2. If you are thinking that I and Miss Grace are asking your dear President to “to individually pass on the relief goods to each affected calamity victim,” then YOU are stupid.

      3. Ms Grace Lee is right, isn’t it that Pnoy said, “kayo ang Boss ko.” then he should mean what he says, and prove to use that we are the boss and do what is demanded for him. And this is a calamity, he should be there. alright, we have other branches of the governments which were there to help those who are devastated, but he should still show up, even just to give hope to his countrymen and boost their morale.

  2. PNoy shows his true colors. And I always hate PNoy’s face when he goes on tv — crackling his patented crooked smile — whether its talking about the devastation of the typhoon, making alibis about the botched HK hostage crisis, his plans for educational budget cuts, and rising taxes. What’s worse, he tries to project himself as a ‘hero’ or goody-two-shoes when he utilizes the same authoritarianism/ dictatorialism as his purported enemies. At least with Gloria or Marcos there were no pretenses.

  3. i symphatized to all the victims of typhoon sendong.
    in my personal opinion,i think there is nothing wrong about our president attending the party.. because as said it is his responsibility to be there as a head of malacanang.
    maybe,only maybe he has also already had a plan on visiting the areas affected by sendong.
    wala naman siguro masama kung aattend muna sya ng obligasyon nya bago sya tuluyan tumungo sa mindanao..marahil yun ang nasa schedule nya…na kanyang sinusunod..
    wag muna natin husgahan…hindi madali ang maging presidente…yun na lamang ang lagi natin pakatandaan.

  4. Agree with Ms Grace. I think it’s a no-brainer–choosing between the “responsibility” of supporting the few number of people at a party and of overseeing relief operations.
    muddled priorities.

  5. The question now is, kaninong pera ang ginamit sa PSG Party? Own money ba nila OR money from kaban nang bayan? Yan lang naman eh…

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