The Heart of Philippine Politics Throbs with Gratitude
Posted on Thursday, 31 July 2014
The
Heart of Philippine Politics
Throbs
with Gratitude
By Apolinario Villalobos
With the President’s asking the opinion of
the Congress on how the “saving” should be defined, did he commit another
error?
Most congressmen were recipients of the DAP
fund and they will surely come up with a definition which will be self-serving
to save themselves from being investigated after the Supreme Court has declared
the program, albeit, some parts of it, as unconstitutional. It is a public
knowledge that even when the move to impeach the President will reach Congress,
it will all just be for show, as majority of the Congressmen supports the
President. Prof. Briones, a former government official who worked as a National
Treasurer, has been insisting that the right definition of the word is in the
Constitution. The Congress is not the right “party” to define what “saving” is,
if that what the President meant when he threatened the Supreme Court that he
will consult a “third party”. As a
Treasurer, she was considered as among the most knowledgeable regarding the handling
of public funds. And, what will happen if the Supreme Court would not agree to
what the Congress has “concocted”? Will that be what Filipinos fear as
“constitutional crisis” which will necessitate the meddling of the military?
The insistence of Pnoy in justifying his
handling of the DAP is understandable, as he is approaching the end of his
term, hence, his steadfast attitude in his desire to “finish” as many “projects”
as he could to show the world that he did something for his country. His
honesty is without blemish and his intention is commendable, though, clearly
with a taint of Machiavellian principle in which, the means is justified by the
end. Meaning, if the result is good, don’t mind how it was accomplished. For an
honest guy like him, it may be alright, but what happens when the country has
chosen a president with questionable character, a plundering kind, and would
find ways to circumvent the Constitution, thereby, adding more travails to what
the Filipinos are suffering from now…all because he has set a precedent? Clearly,
looking at the aspirants for the highest post of the country, nobody can be
perceived with a clean-enough reputation, as shown by expositions on their
involvement in anomalies are concerned. Clearly, too, compared to Pnoy, all of
the aspirants are way below the line of honesty. Again, the people’s
apprehension is on the word “precedent”.
Remember the congressman who tried to pass
a bill to change some provisions in the constitution with the phrase: “unless
otherwise, provided by the Law” so that quick changes can be made in the halls
of Congress to encourage the establishment of businesses by foreigners in the
country? The question is, who makes the Law?...the barbers?... the vendors?...the
drivers?...the teachers? That
congressman epitomizes the state of our lawmaking bodies! And this is what the
Filipinos do not want to happen – the crippling of the Constitution which has
already been mangled by one of the past administrations. And now, Pnoy is
consulting the Congress with questionable credibility, and asking for a Law
that will justify his DAP!
There is a consistent popular show of
disgust on how the DAP was handled. Headlines of newspapers practically shout
it out. For weeks, even before he delivered his supposedly hollow State of the
Nation Address (SONA), rallies were held denouncing it, radio commentators were
and still are one in condemning it, and even the ordinary citizens are still
very vocal about their ill-feelings towards it. How can the president, then,
maintain his seemingly ignorance about the building up of hatred towards his
administration? Is he not properly informed about what are happening outside
Malacaῆan Palace? Is his family not extending enough support to him, by at
least, honestly telling him the real on-goings? Does he not have a few minutes
for reading, at least one newspaper, or at least, glance at a headline, while
having coffee?
He has been committing blunders, the worst
of which is his adamant holding on to his “trusted” secretaries who are being
clamored to leave their posts. His SONA did not do him any good, as he mumbled
the same egoistic pronouncements. Even his dramatically breaking voice that
showed his hurt feelings about the general mistrust toward his Administration,
did not help him a bit. As if the lackluster show, backed up by mechanical
clapping of hands was not enough to give him a lesson, he practically ran to
the Congress afterwards for help….to that edifice where, the people know, is
where his supporters that comprise the majority, lurk! With that move, what will
he expect as to how the Filipinos would react?
There is a general impression that the
President is practically, being influenced by the people around him, much to
his disadvantage. Looking back, that is how his mother, the late and former
President Cory Aquino was perceived by the Filipinos who seemed to have woken
up one day – filled with regrets, after they virtually gave the power to her on
a silver platter when Ferdinand Marcos vacated Malacaῆan Palace.
It is unfortunate that instead of unifying
the country and lead the Filipinos towards what he repeatedly call the
“straight path”as his last face-saving effort, Pnoy, the “beloved” President of
the Republic seems to have chosen the wrong path towards more trouble. His
“straight path” is now being touted as one, with plenty of potholes, thorny
weeds, and rocks!
There is more “fund” in the
Philippines…more fund for the pockets of politicians and lawmakers…more fund
for their endless junkets abroad with their families…more fund for “ghost”
projects implemented by “ghost” NGOs…more fund for “friends” who helped during
the election…more fund for the condos and flashy cars of government officials…more
fund for unrealistic researches of government agencies.
But, no fund for the malnourished Filipino
children…no fund for the survivors of natural calamities for almost one year
now….no fund for bridges in far-flung villages…no fund for the shacks that
DEPEd call “school”…no fund for contractual teachers…no fund for empty medicine
cabinets of some barangays …no fund for the advancement of agriculture which
should be the base of the country’s economy.
In my honest and regretful opinion, the
heart of Philippine politics throbs with gratitude…so very sad, indeed!
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