Failed Independence, Failed P-Noy!

YESTERDAY, TODAY & TOMORROW
Linggoy Alcuaz
6/13-19/2011

Yesterday, we celebrated our Declaration of Independence’s 113^th Anniversary. Soon, P-Noy will be celebrating the first anniversary of his Inauguration as the 15th President of the Philippines. To many people, not only in the Philippines, but also around the world, Independence has been like P-Noy – a big disappointment.

During struggles for independence, just like during the 2010 Presidential Campaign, expectations have  been too big, too broad and too high. Many newly independent states, like P-Noy, have not been able to deliver on their promises. Corruption and inefficiency have hobbled governments of new states just as they do P-Noy’s Administration.

By contrast, the old colonial governments, like GMA, appear much more efficient than the present administrations. But like GMA and her Administration, the old foreign masters exploited their subjects massively. However, we tend to forget the sins of the past and exaggerate the sins of the present.

Many, if not most, former colonial masters extend their influence, dominance and control beyond their grant of independence.

In like manner, GMA has managed to extend her influence way, way deep into P-Noy’s Administration.

Some of the reasons for these are:

• The sheer length of time she occupied the Presidency– nine and a half years. Out of 15 Presidents, GMA had the third longest Administration after Marcos and Quezon-Osmeňa. By contrast, Presidents Sergio Osmeňa, Sr., Joseph Estrada and Manuel Roxas had the shortest followed by Dr. Jose P. Laurel, Ramon Magsaysay and Gen Emilio Aguinaldo. Then, we have Diosdado Macapagal, Elpidio Quirino and Carlos P. Garcia. Finally, we have Fidel V. Ramos and Cory Aquino;
• The sheer slowness of P-Noy in taking charge. After almost a year, he has appointed less than one third of the co terminus officials. His bench is the narrowest and shallowest of all the Administrations since the time of Aguinaldo. His cabinet is the least bright and least experienced of all the Cabinets. His men are the least In bravery and courage, morality and self-sacrifice;
• Aside from the campaign slogans that have lost their meaning and been disgraced, namely: “Matuwid na Daan” and “Walang Mahirap pag Walang Korap”, the Aquino Administration has not had a clear vision and mission. Meanwhile, allegations of and perceptions of corruption have struck and stuck those perceived to be closest to P-Noy, namely Executive Secretary Jojo Ochoa, Usec Rico Puno, and Asec Virginia Torres;
• The prosecution of the previous Administration has degenerated from reform to vengeance. P-Noy designed the Centerpiece of his anti-corruption campaign and reform drive around the Truth Commission. First, he drafted a wrong and unconstitutional Executive Order, Then, he chose the wrong man, former COMELEC Chairman, Davide Commission Chairman, Supreme Court Chief Justice and Ambassador to the United Nations Hilario Davide, Jr. to chair it. Finally, the Supreme ruled it to be unconstitutional. In the meanwhile, half a year had been lost and the momentum of the anti-corruption and reform campaign had glided to a stop;
• The Ombudsman had a fixed term until late next year, Mercerises Gutierrez was a law classmate of Mike Arroyo and a hardened GMA Loyalist. Her Impeachment was delayed by the Supreme Court. When the Impeachment Trial was about to begin, she resigned. With this P-Noy lost the opportunity for a grandstand show that could have relaunched the image of a crusading P-Noy. Meanwhile, it’s taking a long time to appoint a new Ombudsman. At least two Deputy Ombudsmen have left. One resigned and the other was suspended or dismissed;
• During her nine and a half years, GMA and her cohorts were able to convert many important and strategic co-terminus positions into fixed term positions. Then, she transferred her favorite officials to these secure positions just before her term ended;
• P-Noy reorganized Presidential Public Information and Media Relations into an unwieldy monster dubbed, “ang tatlong itlog”. He appointed the wrong men and women for the task. He got a bad press. He can no longer get out of the quagmire. He is now sufferingfrom all the worst perceptions. He does not have the substantial good news to disseminate;
• Usually, Presidents become Lame Ducks at the end of their terms. P-Noy is the first Filipino President to become a Lame Duck even before his first birthday. Meanwhile, for all his bravado and bluster about fighting corruption, P-Noy has hardly clipped GMA’s wings;
• In simplest terms, when needed, GMA had the humility (dishonesty to some): to admit she was the problem and say that she would not run for re-election (Dec 30, 2002); say “I am sorry!”(July 2005) and finally to descend from the Presidency and run for Congress (May 2010);
• On the other hand, P-Noy’s hard headedness and pride have combined with a negative karma and charisma to make him lose the trust and confidence of his once broad and solid base of supporters.

Binay’s Prayers
While P-Noy appears to be a hopeless case, is our independence still viable?

Well, for one, it is easier to change a leader than a whole country. After taking the jump to independence, it is almost impossible to reverse the process. So, while it might be easier to just replace P-Noy with Binay, we have no choice but to still try to make our independent Republic work.

Meanwhile, Binay is praying very hard that P-Noy does not fall before noon of June 30, 2012. That way, if he succeeds P-Noy after that date, he can still run for re-election in 2016.

With the appointment of defeated Vice Presidential candidate Mar A. Roxas, as the new Secretary of the Department of Transportation and Communications, Binay has added another prayer: that Mar either sinks in a boat, crashes in a plane or is hit by  train.

Balimbings, et al
This early, the political pots for 2013 and 2016 are boiling.

All the Balimbings who cannot get close to P-Noy nor be accommodated in the Liberal Party, are trying to join Binay and the Partido ng Demokratikong Pilipino.

Of the 12 Senatorial slots available in 2013, six will be occupied by reelectionists (Alan Peter Cayetano, Chiz Escudero, Greg Honasan. Loren Legarda, Sonny Trillanes, and Zubiri) and four by balikbayans (Pong Biazon, Dick Gordon, Jamby Madrigal, and Mar Roxas). That leaves only two slots open.

The ex-future First Lady Cynthia Villar will also run in order to replace the ex-future President Manny Villar. Two sons of graduated or graduating senators are planning to run:  Atty. Koko Pimentel and Angara’s son.

Erap in Manila
And what about San Juan Congressman J. V. Ejercito? He was planning to run way back in 2007.

However, at the last minute, his father, Erap, made him give way. Erap does gained the moral high ground to be the Godfather, Kingmaker and Unifier of the Opposition in the 2007 Senatorial Elections.

In the eventuality that Willie Revillame and Kris Aquino decide to run, it will be a very tight Senate race in 2013.

Meanwhile, in Manila, both former Assemblyman, Congressman, Vice Mayor and Mayor Lito Atienza and incumbent Vice Mayor Iskho Moreno want former President Joseph Estrada to run for Mayor in 2013. Lito is an old enemy of Mayor Fred Lim. Iskho was his running mate in 2010 and won’t run for Vice Mayor again under him. If Atienza runs again for Mayor against Lim, he will probably lose again.

Erap was born at Mary Johnston Hospital in Tondo. He lived part of his life in Tondo. His father was once a Department head in the Manila City Government. He has apartments for rent in Sta. Mesa.

It would be a simple matter of transferring his Voter Registration from San Juan to Manila. Erap’s long-time business is build and sell, houses before, townhouses and condos now. Watch out in the next year if Erap makes more investments in Manila.

Aristocracy
Going back to the topic of the DOTC, did Secretary de Jesus resign irrevocably or was he fired?

Whatever it was, the root cause is the difference in work styles between P-Noy and Ping de Jesus. Does it mean that P-Noy and Mar have similar work styles? Not necessarily.

However, P-Noy and Mar both belong to the Aristocracy. Ping is a mere professional manager, middle class at best. That is why P-Noy is now giving Mar a free hand in the DOTC.

However, Secretary de Jesus was not given a free hand.

Early on in the Aquino Administration, we heard that Ping’s first problem was that he was not able to recommend his own candidates for key positions.

C.E.S.Os Appointed
Instead, as in many other departments and agencies CESOs were appointed. These CESOs are not Career Executive Service officials.

They are Classmates of Executive Secretary Ochoa.

They are in the tradition of P-Noy’s Kabarkada, Kaklase and Kabarilan.