Stars of the Senate

We now have more movie stars in the Senate but the real stars, in my opinion, are those that will give us some hope and a big promise of achievement. Topping my list is Sen. Fred Lim. Even if he is over seventy, he still looks like the Million Dollar Man who keeps himself fit and maintains that ramrod-straight posture that instills a sense of authority and confidence among people. I have always had the greatest admiration for Fred Lim because of his impeccable record in law enforcement and as Mayor of Manila for many years. He was known as Dirty Harry but is better-looking than Clint Eastwood. Seriously though, I really see Senator Lim to be one of our outstanding legislators in the coming years particularly because of his experience in the fight against crime, which still stands as one of our biggest problems today.

Second on my list is Jamby Madrigal. I have always known her to be idealistic but, more importantly, coming from a very wealthy family she really has a soft spot for the poor. During Estrada’s time, as Presidential Adviser for Children’s Affairs, many admired her true compassion for the underprivileged, particularly her vision and drive to champion the rights of children. She and Gina Lopez of ABS-CBN’s Bantay-Bata Foundation share the same vision, which is more than admirable to say the least.

Third on my list is Sen. Dick Gordon, a schoolmate at the Ateneo, I remember him as one of our go-go cheerleaders with a very positive can-do attitude. His rah-rah drive, as Secretary of Tourism, with his brainchild the WOW Philippines advertising campaign far exceeded expectations. Against all odds with crime, kidnapping, SARS, and travel advisories – a world tourism magazine reported that from 2001 to 2003, an estimated 5.6-M tourists visited the country, while domestic tourism also showed strong performance with an estimated 10.85-M Filipinos traveling all over the country. As senator, Dick promises not to wear his cheerleader uniform but he will certainly be one of the go-go senators who will come out with some really good positive legislation. Maybe Frank Drilon should create a position for him as Chief Cheerleader of the Senate.

Fourth on my list is Pia Cayetano. I have not had the pleasure of meeting Pia but knowing her late father, I am certain that she will give honor to his name. The late Sen. Rene Cayetano was one of lawyers in some of our projects and he was brilliant. Judging from the way she spoke during her many TV interviews, many have reached the conclusion that she will make a good senator. Some people have said that she will listen more than she will talk. In other words, more action than words. Her legal experience, her experience working for her father in the Senate, and her advocacy work for children’s health, will now be put to good use as senator.

And last but not the least on my list is Sen. Manuel A. Roxas II. I have known Mar for a long time. When Mar was an investment banker based in New York, we spent a lot of good times together. There is no question that Mar was a "man of the world", in every sense of the word then and now. Mar has certainly come a long way from those days with his phenomenal rise to become the Number One Senator with his 18-M votes and judging from how our July issue of People Asia magazine was sold out, there is no question that Mar is popular, especially with the youth. Of course, with a little help from Korina. No one doubts though the bright future Mar has ahead of him.

In our Manila Overseas Press Club (MOPC) forum last Thursday, Mar spoke on quite a number of relevant issues. He pointed out the difficulty of resolving the issue of the NAIA 3 airport. According to Mar, he was not agreeable to have the government pay Fraport $500-M to settle the legal issue and shell out an additional $150-M needed to make repairs and to make it operational. I disagreed with him because the way I see it, this new terminal building is costing us more every single day that it is not utilized. Every time an international airliner lands, foreigners inquire about why the new terminal isn’t being used. No one seems to be able to give a sensible answer. The sad part is that today it has become a symbol of Philippine corruption, a white elephant that continues to deteriorate. That perception of corruption alone is already costing us money scaring away potential investors. Mar pointed out that the resolution of the airport issue is now up to the Administration because the case is being heard in a Singaporean court. Maybe the Administration should study the possibility of an amicable settlement at the soonest possible time.

During the MOPC forum, Senator Roxas had a few good ideas about constitutional reforms. He said that our economy cannot afford three more years of "wait-and-see." He believes that constitutional reform has to be done right and fast through a Constituent Assembly in order for investors to see that there is predictability in our legal and regulatory environment. He is convinced that a parliamentary system with a strong President, who is directly elected, is right for us. With the Senate abolished, a strong President will act as the check-and-balance to a unicameral parliament. The Prime Minister can take charge of the ministries tasked with housekeeping like land reform and health, for example. While the President handles the ministries covering defense, foreign affairs, and finance. The senator believes that most of the amendments should focus on establishing a form of government that is more efficient. I disagree though with his idea that amendments to economic provisions are "peripheral to investment decisions" because we precisely need amendments to make the Constitution more business-friendly. So there you have it, the five stars of the Senate. Filipinos never lose hope because to them hope springs eternal. With these real stars of the Senate that I have mentioned, there is a continuing ray of hope for all of us.

* * *

E-mail: [email protected]