Race against time

Time is what clocks measure, something that follows a constant and universal ticktock motion, at least to scientists; for the rest of the world, time is sometimes too fast, gone in 60 seconds; or too slow, carrying us along as we move through this constantly spinning world.

Albert Einstein, in his Theory of Special Relativity, determined that time is relative – or that the rate at which time passes depends on your frame of reference.

This bewildering dichotomy between subjective and objective time is as old as time itself. This is why one of my favorite books of all time is Einstein’s Dreams by Alan Lightman, as it brilliantly attempts to weave together the two aspects of time. I have read it countless times.

In this short novel, which reads like a dream, Lightman asserts that in the nights leading to his formulation of his world-changing theory, Einstein had dreams about different worlds in which time operates under different conditions, affecting the experiences of humankind.

Time moves in a circle

In one dream, “time is a circle, bending back on itself.” Here, the world repeats itself, precisely, endlessly. Isn’t this a lot like how it is here in the Philippines?

The Philippines:  “It’s not a sprint, but a marathon”

I’ve been thinking about Einstein’s Dreams lately and this is the fault of retired Finance assistant secretary Ma. Teresa Habitan. I had the pleasure of covering while I was assigned to the Department of Finance some years back.

Ma’am Tere, as journalists call her, wrote an engaging, evocative, and at times, poignant essay for Philstar Life titled, “A plate of lasagna, a dash of Filipina charm, and my 40 wonderful years of public service at the Department of Finance.”

As an economic journalist covering public finance, I learned a lot from Ma’am Tere, who is now the chancellor of the Local Government Institute of the Philippine Tax Academy, so I immediately read her essay, which could very well be expanded into a memoir.

It’s funny, wildly entertaining, and filled with many revelations about the pains and joys of being a public servant.

But my biggest take-away is the part about her experience in advocating reforms.

“Advocating for reforms exacts a more exquisite kind of pain and requires endurance. One has to understand that the process of reforms is not a sprint, but a marathon, if I may paraphrase DOF Sec. Carlos Dominguez in another context,” she said in her essay.

For several days after reading this, I wanted to call her and ask the question that popped in my head, “But how much time do we have, Ma’am?”

Indeed, how much time does the country have before we can finally get it right?

Shouldn’t we treat the process as a sprint instead of a marathon, difficult as it is? Shouldn’t every administration move as fast as it can to advocate reforms?

But I didn’t want to disturb the freshly retired Ma’am Tere. However, I couldn’t get the thought out of my mind, so I decided to finally give her a call.

“What are you writing?” she asked.

I told her I’m writing about time and that I feel the Philippines is running out of time to finally put in place the right reforms.

She agreed that yes, the Philippines does not have all the time in the world, but she said it is what it is.

“We have to deal with stakeholders like vested interests and legislators,” she explained.

It can be slow and tough, but sometimes, victories come, Ma’am Tere said.

“When the stars align, there is much rejoicing among the bureaucrats, especially when it is a victory against well-entrenched interest groups,” as she said in her essay.

Planting seeds

“In my experience, advocating for reforms is like the Parable of the Sower of the Seeds. Sometimes the seed falls on arid and barren soil, so it’s dead on arrival. Sometimes, it falls on rocky soil, so the seed grows, but then it doesn’t take root because the soil is shallow. When it’s hot – as in there are a lot of critics – it fizzles out and dies,” she told me during our chat.

Thus, she said, if one is a civil servant who has done the studies and the research, and has evaluated all options, the choices are to give up or continue plodding on.

Light of day

“Which is why it is a marathon. Sometimes, actually many times, reforms will take several administrations before they can finally see the light of day. You wait for the perfect combination of a strong-willed, popular president who listens well and understands the reforms and why they are being proposed, and has the gumption to risk his political capital on making unpopular decisions,” Ma’am Tere said, noting that sin tax reforms, for instance, took 10 years before becoming a reality.

And with that, I dare not argue with success and more than 40 years of public service. Thank you for your endurance, Ma’am Tere and most of all, for your service to the nation.

But like Einstein in Einstein’s Dreams, I will dream of frenzied dreams; of a reality that is almost dreamlike and magical; of an enlightened electorate and better leaders next year; a world where we will implement all the right reforms, beat the ticking of the clocks, and finally win the race against time.

Iris Gonzales’ email address is [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter @eyesgonzales. Column archives at eyesgonzales.com