Changed world

After September 11, 2001, the world has changed. The terrorist attack on America has brought about a situation where every country has to innovate and exert more effort to cope with the downtrend in almost every aspect of human activity, especially in the United States.

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Right now, there is unease in America. There is fear of future terrorist attacks. There is fear of biochemical warfare. There is fear of the unknown. As a result, America’s once robust economy is in a big slump. And America, it seems, is at a standstill.

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The Americans are finding it hard to go back to what used to be their normal human activities. They are reluctant to travel via airplanes. They are reluctant to go out in holiday sprees, opting instead to stay inside their homes while they watch and wait for things to happen in Afghanistan.

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There are clear signs that Americans are not spending what they used to spend. They are not splurging as they used to splurge. If they have to spend or splurge at all, it is on items that are non-productive, like gas masks or other articles designed to survive a terrorist attack.

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The situation in America, the world’s economic and political leader, has naturally affected almost every country. America is not importing the quantities of goods and products it used to import from foreign suppliers. America’s airlines are half-filled, as Americans put off travel schedules to foreign destinations. American businessmen have put on the back burner investment ventures in different parts of the world. Hold back, sit tight, wait for future developments – that seems to be the mood of the American public.

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Since September 11, America’s forward march has slowed down. This has naturally also slowed down the economic growth of its traditional trading partners. For as they say, when America goes down, so does the rest of the world. That is how mighty America’s influence is over the fate of humankind.

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It will take some time before America returns to normal. The Taliban regime and Osama bin Laden’s Al- Qaeda must be neutralized and obliterated before the pre-September 11 mood of America is restored. Until that time comes, other nations whose growth and future are intertwined with America’s forward march will have to learn to tighten their belts, to innovate with their own resources, in order to survive and overcome the unprecedented crises that, after September 11, swept the world.

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Remember Reinerio Reyes, the transportation and communications secretary during the presidency of Cory Aquino? I wonder where he is now. Before he joined the Cory administration, he was president of IBM and was a highly-respected technocrat in the business world. And when he became DOTC secretary, he showed his mettle in laying the groundwork for our country’s transportation and communications sector.

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Rey Reyes, though, found it hard to adjust to the ways and style of the Philippine political world. He talked frankly, sometimes brusquely, about the bad things he saw in the political landscape. As a result, he became the incessant target of attack by politicians who could not stand what they considered his offensive, abrasive ways.

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At that time, Metro Manila’s transport system was one big mess. There was a shortage in public transport, and a daily common sight in the main avenues of Metro Manila was that of passengers clinging on to dear life at the dashboards of jeepneys and buses plying city routes. The enemies of Reyes seized upon this horrible sight to pressure President Cory to remove the DOTC headman from the Cabinet. If he cannot even provide seats for passengers in public transport, he has no business holding the DOTC post, Reyes’ detractors chimed.

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When the pressure became unbearable, President Cory eventually gave in and accepted Reyes’ resignation from her Cabinet. It was sad that this had to happen because Reyes oozed with integrity, dedication, and had the noblest of intentions. And he had the talent to make good things happen in the transport and communications sector, had he been given the chance to finish what he had begun.

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Why do I now remember Rey Reyes? Because the daily common sight that led to his resignation – that of passengers clinging on to dear life at the dashboards of jeepneys and buses – is still there. In fact, the situation seems to have worsened. And the problem remains and is even worse in many places not only in Metro Manila but in other urban centers of the Philippines.

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Here is the second part of the Ateneo de Manila University alumni homecoming for its silver, ruby, golden and diamond jubilarians:

Nov. 27 Forum #3 on National Development

Nov. 28 All Jesuit Schools Alumni Golf Tournament

Nov. 29 Mass and Reception for College Jubilarians

Nov. 30 National Development Conference Alumni Gala Night

Dec. 1 Wreath Laying at Rizal Monument

Dec. 2 Alumni Family Day

Dec. 3 Mass and Reception for Alumnae

Dec. 4 Cultural Night

Dec. 6 HS 76 Balikbayan Night

Dec. 7 College Street Party/Battle of the Bands

Dec. 8 Grand Homecoming

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Thoughts For Today:

In our weakest times,
God’s strength is ours to lean on.
In our saddest times,
His compassion is ours to receive.
At all times, His love is ours to share.

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The value of prayer
Is not that God will hear us,
But that we will finally hear God.

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My e-mail address: <[email protected]>.