Lourd de Veyra gives new meaning to ‘Noynoying’: ‘Ang pagiging malinis, totoo, tapat, at hindi corrupt’
Award-winning writer and TV5 host Lourd de Veyra, in his show Word of the Lourd (WOTL), redefined “Noynoying,” a moniker attached to the late former President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III that was meant as an insult for his supposed inaction and lack of sense of urgency to resolve the country’s pressing problems.
Aquino died on June 24, Thursday, due to renal disease, secondary to diabetes. He was 61.
It was in 2012 when De Veyra first tackled Noynoying in his TV5 show, along with other topics related to the late President during his term like his love life, his love for luxury cars and guns. The show even counted how many times Aquino coughed during his yearly State of the National Address.
Activists coined the term Noynoying in March 2012, less than two years into Aquino’s presidency, to describe the President’s supposed inaction and lack of sense of urgency to the country’s problems.
The term, which even has its own Wikipedia page, caught on immediately on social media and is still being referenced by Aquino’s detractors to this day.
The term was a play on the meme “planking,” and Aquino’s nickname Noynoy. Those who did Noynoying—usually done by activists during rallies—sat or laid around as they rested their heads on one hand and stared into nothingness.
Others likened Noynoying to the image of Juan Tamad, a character in Philippine folklore who waits for the guava to fall down from the tree because he is so lazy to climb up the tree. Activist groups once called Noynoy as “do-nothing Aquino.”
The WOTL episode in 2012 seemingly took a jab at the then President (“Maraming issue sa Pilipinas na kailangan aksyunan, si PNoy daw parang ang kupad gumalaw”) but concluded it with positive definitions of the viral term but still mocking the sitting Commander-in-Chief (“Noynoying ang pagiging simple at hindi magasta o magarbo,” “Noynoying ang pagiging totoo sa sarili dahil ayaw niya mag-wig,” “Noynoying ang pagtahak sa matuwid na daan pero kung kalian darating, ‘yun lang ang ewan.”).
Fast forward to 2021, a day after Aquino’s death, a new episode of the WOTL was released titled, “Noynoying 2021.”
In the episode, De Veyra said it would be unfair if the former President would only be remembered for a few but memorable terms Aquino had been known for like “walang wang-wang,” “Kayo and boss ko,” and “kung walang kurap, walang mahirap.”
“May naimbentong termino ang mga aktibista noong 2012 kay PNoy dahil sa kanya umanong katamaran at kabagalan sa pagtugon sa maraming problema noon—ang Noynoying,” De Veyra narrated.
“Pero, akalain mo ‘yun? May mas grabe pa pala sa kanya,” he said, seemingly taking a swipe at the current President Duterte. “So, hindi kaya oras na para magkaroon ng makabagong kahulugan ang Noynoying?”
De Veyra then started reciting the definitions of the once made-for-insult term, to a fitting tribute to the late President.
“Noynoying—ang pagiging malinis, totoo, tapat, at hindi corrupt.
“Noynoying—ang pag-inda sa mga batikos pero sa huli, hindi maikakaila na iniwan mong mas maunlad at mas maginhawa ang Pilipinas.
“Noynoying—may pagpapahalaga sa buhay ng tao.
“Noynoying—ang pagiging disente, maginoo, makabayan. ‘Yung tipong makakatayo ka nang marangal sa harap ng mundo.
“Noynoying—batid na ang pagpuna ay bahagi ng demokrasya. At pag napipikon, kahit anong banat sa kanya ng media, walang pina-ban, walang hinarass, at higit sa lahat, walang pinasara.”
Tributes continue to flood social media, especially from those who have had the opportunity to work with the late former President. During Aquino’s wake at the Church of the Gesu at the Ateneo de Manila University, his former Cabinet members vowed to continue telling the story of his accomplishments as a President as PNoy was known as someone who was reluctant to toot his own horn.
PNoy was laid to rest on June 26, Saturday, at the Manila Memorial Park in Parañaque City, beside his parents—Philippine democracy icons Senator Ninoy Aquino and President Cory Aquino.
Watch the Word of the Lourd episode below:
Banner and thumbnail photo from @lourddv on Instagram and screenshots from Word of the Lourd
