Let’s give Gloria at least 100 days - DIRECT LINE by Boy Abunda

I think everybody wants a cabinet post after People Power II. It’s an overstatement, but not necessarily untrue. First, consider the following:

1. Various groups are complaining, that trapos and re-hires are dominating the cabinet and bureaucracy.

2. The sectors who fought it out in EDSA are not properly represented in the Arroyo government.

3. Most appointees are politicos of the Ramos and Aquino administrations. "One for Cory, one for Ramos," the Singapore Strait Times bannered last week.

4. Defense Secretary Orly Mercado resigned because Gen. Lisandro Abadia was appointed National Security Adviser. According to Mercado, the Defense Secretary and the National Security Adviser must be a team. Abadia and Mercado don’t like each other.

5. Text messaging has become a frighteningly powerful tool. Aside from the jokes on Erap and the Onse Gang, the new President has become a favorite target.

6. Erap and his minions will challenge the Constitutionality and legality of the Arroyo government.

7. New accounts, new names of Erap are surfacing.

8. Senate President Nene Pimentel is suggesting that Erap go on exile. Erap wants to proceed with the opening of the second envelope. And he has not resigned. According to him, he just stepped down.

9. Peping Cojuangco and the retired generals feel that they have been left out by the Arroyo government.

10. Excuse me. I want to scream and cry!

I was never a fan of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. In my interviews with political shakers in the past, I would always ask them why the then opposition could not seem to consolidate itself into a formidable political force. "Is it because we don’t have Cory, a strong rallying point?" I would ask. Because people would say that Gloria herself was not politically unblemished, having been hounded by the alleged ownership of properties abroad and her much-criticized connection with alleged gambling lord Bong Pineda. Even when then Vice President Gloria would parry these allegations head-on, some quarters still remained skeptical and suspicious.

But when People Power II happened – triggered by an unopened envelope in the celebrated impeachment trial – and former President Erap stepped down – the Constitution provides that the Vice President succeeds – Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo happened to be there. And today, she is President. That’s destiny!

Here are some random thoughts.

Even if I didn’t go onstage at the venerable EDSA Shrine to sing a song or recite a poem or to do an Oreta dance, I too was there every night – chanting, praying, smiling and making new friends. Don’t I deserve a cabinet post for my participation at EDSA? Shouldn’t I be made Ambassador at Large – with my proclivity to smile at everyone till my gums bleed?

I mean, really now. All this whining and browbeating about the perceived huckstering of cabinet positions has reached the level of insanity.

First of all, when you and I went to EDSA to protest against the former President and his gremlins – did we expect anything in return aside from a better government and a better citizenry?

Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has just been in office for about a week. Let’s give the lady a chance. Yes, we should be vigilant, but we should also realize that we have laws and a bureaucracy that must function. I don’t think it’s easy to be president. There will never be a perfect move. Will there ever be an appointee that everybody will approve? Does everybody have to approve every appointee? The right appointee to one sector is despicable to others.

I also detest trapos. But is there anyone in government – who proudly proclaims himself as a traditional politician in this light? Trapos to my mind are not necessarily evil. There are the wisdom and experience that long years in politics provide trapos. The bureaucracy is a labyrinth. A wide eyed idealist like you and me can get lost in it. Is Nani Perez the new Justice Secretary a trapo? If he is, then he is a good trapo. Is Bert Romulo a trapo because his family name is prominently written in our history books? If he is, he is my favorite trapo – because he’s brilliant, reputable and he loves people. Is Renato De Villa a trapo? If he is, he’s an honest, untainted trapo. What about Dick Gordon? He is perhaps the trapo who would make miracles in the Department of Tourism.

Can’t we give these people a chance? If in four days after the People Power II – each one of us has already an opinion as to how to staff the bureaucracy – we will never agree – and there will be anarchy. This is why we have a president. We cannot all be presidents.

Are her choices correct? Let’s watch intently but give it at least 100 days.

And if there are choices who we think are blatantly corrupt and immoral, then let’s write editors and call for press conferences and say their names so that we can call the attention of the President.

I don’t know Gen. Leandro Mendoza but his appointment is being challenged by some sectors. Harapan! There’s Gen. Abadia who has been allegedly involved in some corruptions in the AFP. His appointment is being questioned again by people, lantaran. Defense Secretary Mercado resigned in protest of his (Abadia’s) appointment. Some sectors are simply nattering and sour graping.

The new President promises to consult with various sectors and hear opinions of as many groups as possible. But she can’t consult forever. She has to make decisions. As Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher said, some people would say that she could never be a politician because she always saw both sides of the question: "I see all sides of the question. The difference is that, when I have seen all sides, I have to make a decision, whereas some people can go on discussing it Ad Infinitum."

I didn’t expect to be appointed Army General just because I was at EDSA. As a Filipino, I am going to be vigilant. But I would like to give this government a chance. After all Rome wasn’t built in a day and even God created the universe in six days.

Let’s give Gloria a break. She just wants to be a good president. Not all of us can be cabinet ministers. But we can all be citizens "not spectators, not subjects," as Bush said in his inaugural speech as 43rd US President.

The Arroyo government has a gargantuan task in rebuilding this country. We can choose to do our share.