Beware of the Tricky Monkey for 2016

Kung Hei Fat Choi! Today marks the beginning of the New Year in the Chinese or Lunar Calendar. This is the Year of the Fire Monkey, a very tricky monkey according to the feng shui experts. If you are guided by this ancient Chinese tradition, the bleak reality is that the monkey year can be a challenge for the coming elections not to mention the presidential and vice presidential candidates.

Monkeys have a happy disposition. They are very sociable, witty and full of energy. But they are also clever, manipulative, egotistical and selfish. Of the five top presidential bets, only one was born in the year of the Monkey. This is Senator Grace Poe. Roxas, Duterte and Santiago were born in the year of the Rooster while VP Binay was born in the year of the Horse.

Will the year of the Fire Monkey bring them luck? In an interview with CNN Philippines, Dato Joey Yap, a Chinese metaphysics practitioner from Malaysia gave his predictions on what is in store for the presidential candidates.

Yap said that Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago would get a lot of attention this year. He added that whatever the senator says would make sense and this would get her a lot of sentiments from the people. On a positive note, he also said that Santiago has a good chance of winning and that her career is moving in the correct direction. Nothing was said though about her health and how this will affect her in the campaign trail.

There are two principles in Chinese philosophy and religion – one negative, dark and feminine (yin) and one positive, bright, and masculine (yang) whose interaction influences the destinies of creatures and things. Yap said that Mar Roxas’ chart shows a yin nature. In other words he is weak. Thus, he needs to have more yang, if he is going to take on the responsibility of leading the country. The position of the president is not for a yin person to handle. Roxas will need to show more strength, power and sincerity in his campaign strategies. His TV ads do not really say much. He needs to show proof of what he has done to validate what he says of himself. Yap’s prediction means that for now, the external circumstances are not in Roxas’ favor.

When it comes to Duterte who was born on a Fire Monkey day on a Rooster year, and because we are in the Fire Monkey year, Yap called him “pretty interesting” and that people will relate to Duterte in many ways. Yap also adds that Duterte’s rapport with the citizenry gives him a very good chance in this year’s elections.

The presidential candidates born in the year of the rooster will often find success when they are led by their instinct. In this way, compromise is swift, respect is readily gained, and the overall pace of their life is one in which they continue to achieve rather than dwell on worry. However, they tend to overthink. And when they do, they can get caught on the details and sometimes lose sight of the bigger picture.

Senator Grace Poe was born in the year of the monkey. Is it a lucky year for her then? Those born in the year of the Fire Monkey are said to be intelligent, quick-witted, inventive, restive, lively and flexible. They are cheerful and energetic by nature and represent flexibility. People born under this sign are wise, confident, charismatic, loyal and have leadership qualities. Yap said that there are obstructions blocking the way of Senator Grace Poe and that there are complexities and frustrations in the chart. He added that even though she stands a good chance, there are circumstances pulling her down that may not get her into the race. Perhaps this has got to do with the citizenship and residency issues. But Yap also said that Poe makes a good candidate based on her leadership skills and abilities. Yap adds that there are people around the senator – her trusted allies – who are not doing their jobs causing her to face a lot of issues.

VP Jejomar Binay was born in the year of the horse. Yap said that financial-related elements are too strong in the chart of the vice president. This doesn’t show a good sign for Binay because according to Yap, the power element must be stronger than the wealth element if Binay is to be the head of the country. This will be an impediment to the race. People born under the horse sign are free-spirited, open-minded, easy to make friends, cheerful and kind. They are eloquent and possess the talent of persuasion. They are goal-driven. They are natural leaders. However, they tend to shift direction easily when things become difficult. As impulsive as a horse can be, they like to try everything without thinking and would often fall short.

When Yap was asked who among the five mentioned candidates stand the best chance of winning the presidential race, Yap said that Duterte and Santiago have good chances. Both were born in the Year of the Rooster, but these are general impressions he said, as there are other elements that he has yet to see.

Feng Shui masters say that this year is a woman’s year. The water element will be auspicious which means that industries like shipping, spas and tourism will be successful. This year is said to be lucky for those born in the year of the ox, boar, snake, and goat. Those born in the year of the rabbit, rat and rooster will have power and recognition.

Do all these predictions and Chinese astrology hold true for our presidential candidates? Will it be a rooster, a monkey or a horse? The future of this country lies in our hands come election day. Let us not be blinded by the promises they make. Let us go deeper into their person, their characteristic, behavior, morals and beliefs. We are running out of time. More than their birth signs, we need to seriously look into their achievements as well as their many failures and inability to run this country. More importantly, we need to listen carefully to their plans on how they can solve the many issues this country faces in land, air, and sea.