Reading this article from the Inquirer (This is not your average presidential bet), it would be interesting to see how Noynoy Aquino matches up against other country leaders assuming he's no longer a bet but actually is the president (remember, he'd be leading and representing our country):
First, from the original ASEAN members - -
Abhisit Vejjajiva, prime minister of Thailand - educated at Eton, with degrees in economics from Oxford (with First Class Honors). Taught economics at Thammasat University. Member of parliament since 1992, leader of party 2005.
Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, president of Indonesia - educated at Magelang Military Academy, US Army Command and General Staff College, and Webster University. A retired general, he was a member of the military since 1973, led troops as commander in the 330th Airborne Battalion, a lecturer at the Army Staff College, and known as the "thinking general"
Najib bin Tun Haji Abdul Razak, prime minister of Malaysia - educated at Malvern College, Worcestershire, England, and University of Nottingham, with degree in industrial economics. Worked in banking and petroleum industries. Member of parliament since 1976. First held cabinet position at the age of 25, becoming youngest deputy prime minister, and minister for defense, education, finance, and culture.
Lee Hsien Loong, prime minister of Singapore - studied mathematics at Trinity College, Cambridge (with First Class Honors) and Master of Public Administration in Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government. Member of the military since 1971 and became Brigadier General. Served as minister for trade, finance, and defense, and deputy prime minister.
(*to complete the ASEAN 5, we include somebody born to the job) Hassanal Bolkiah Mu'izzaddin Waddaulah, sultan of Brunei - attended the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, with honorary degrees from Oxford, the University of Aberdeen, Scotland, Chulalongkorn University of Thailand, and National University of Singapore.
Then our main trading partners - -
Hu Jintao, president of China - graduated with a degree in hydraulic engineering, Tsinghua University. Worked as an engineer and for a hydro-power station while also managing Party affairs for the local branch of the Ministry of Water Resources and Electric Power. Held various governmental posts, some in impoverished areas of China.
Yukio Hatoyama, prime minister of Japan - educated at University of Tokyo and received a Ph.D. in managerial engineering from Stanford University. Worked as a research assistant at the Tokyo Institute of Technology and Senshu University and was promoted to assistant professor. Long time party leader, he is a member of parliament since 1986.
Nicolas Sarkozy, president of France - practicing business lawyer, graduate of Paris X University Nanterre. In public office since the age of 22, he was formerly minister of the interior and finance.
Gordon Brown, prime minister of UK - an academic graduating with honors (and a Ph.D) from Edinburgh University, television journalist, member of parliament since 1983, and was for many years the chancellor of the exchequer.
Angela Dorothea Merkel, chancellor of Germany - academic, studying physics at University of Leipzig, worked and studied (and getting a doctorate) at the Central Institute for Physical Chemistry of the Academy of Sciences in Berlin-Adlershof. Held leadership positions in opposition and was cabinet minister.
Dmitry Anatolyevich Medvedev, president of Russia - graduated from the Law Department of Leningrad State University and in 1990 received a Ph.D in private law. Worked in various positions in government and the private sector (as well as academe, publishing several articles) as legal expert, became Putin's Presidential Chief of Staff and then First Deputy Prime Minister.
Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, president of Brazil - working since the age of 12, a union leader since 1978, and held public office since 1986.
Manmohan Singh, prime minister of India - completed D.Phil, studied at Punjab University, Cambridge, and Oxford, and worked for UNCTAD. Taught at the University of Delhi and worked for the Ministry of Foreign Trade. Was Governor of the Reserve Bank of India and deputy chairman of the Planning Commission of India. Was also finance minister and member of parliament since 1991.
and, finally,
Barack Obama, president of the US - graduate of Columbia University and a Harvard lawyer, Chicago constitutional law professor and community organizer, former senator, and best selling author.
Waiting in the wings, randomly selected, are Anwar Ibrahim (Malaysia), David Cameron or David Miliband (UK), and Mitt Romney, Bobby Jindal, Hillary Clinton, Evan Bayh, Rob Portman (US).
And we have Noynoy, son of Cory and Ninoy Aquino.
