Bronstein, of course, went on to become editor of "The San Francisco Examiner" (correct me if I got my Bay Area daily wrong) and husband of movie star Sharon Stone they broke up last year. Seth Mydans continued in "The New York Times" to almost eclipse the fame of his own legendary father, the prize-winning photo-journalist Carl Mydans (one of the originals of the Manila Overseas Press Club).
Paul A. Gigot, who used to belong to our old 365 Club in the Inter-Continental Hotel, my coffee crony, soared up in his career to become the Editor of the Editorial Page (top honcho) of "The Wall Street Journal". Paul is responsible for the muscular editorial policy of the Journal, which reflects his own brilliance of thought and combative nature. When I met Gigot at the White House dinner tendered by US President George W. Bush and Mrs. Laura Bush for President GMA and the First Gent (two years before the jueteng controversy days), Paul was as urbane and witty as ever. But we didnt have enough time to talk about old times at that affair.
Of them all, its Tony Spaeth whos retained his boyish looks, and impish smile. But Im not sure our Presidenta appreciates Tony very much these days. The latest "TIME" Magazine cover, dated June 13, indeed has GMA as its cover girl but its with a quizzical expression on her face.
The cover blurb, in huge letters quotes GMA: "The Lord Put Me Here."
Dios mio!
Was the choice of that caption sarcastic or sincere? Anyway, the subtitle leaves no room for ambivalence. It asserts: "PRESIDENT ARROYO believes fervently in her vision for the Philippines, but her people are losing faith."
After that, who needs to read the article?
Spaeth leads off his analysis with: "Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is a big believer. The 58-year-old President of the Philippines believes in the Lord Almighty God: she attends Mass most afternoons in a chapel in Malacañang Palace, then retires to her bedroom to pray alone before taking a short nap. Arroyo also believes in legislation, the transforming ability of government, and the power of leadership her leadership. I am the agent of change, she told TIME in an interview last week, I wish to be remembered as the one who made the tough decisions to turn the economy around, to get its act together . . . Maybe thats why the Lord put me here at this time."
Right now, it seems, the Lord and fast-moving events have put GMA on the spot. The tough decision she has to face is what to do with the accusations being hurled against Mike, Mikey and Iggy her family.
As for change, were sure she wants most of all to change the glaring headlines in the newspapers, and whats appearing on television in that teledrama called the Senate inquiry into jueteng yesterday starring "delivery" woman Sandra Cam (not Camcam) who claimed she had personally brought the cash to Mikey and Iggy. (Not Jose Pidal?)
The trouble is that, right or wrong, Sandra sounded credible many were riveted to their TV sets, including myself. I almost missed going to the Dusit to chair our meeting of the Board of the MOPC and other Board members arrived late, too.
Senator Manny Villar who was chairing the Senate meeting tried to adjourn the group for lunch twice, but Senators Miriam Defensor Santiago, Dick Gordon, then Loi Ejercito wanted to ask questions, which included placing Camarines Sur Governor Louie Villafuerte on the griddle, too. Thankfully, Johnny Ponce Enrile decided to deter his questioning.
Nobody can predict, of course, what will come of Ms. Cams astonishingly frank allegations which are also self-incriminating, and explain why she went for broke, but theres one thing which isnt in doubt: what she said was damaging. If shes lying, shell be damned. If shes telling the truth, she may be damned, too.
This brings up the headline of the final page of the TIME Magazine piece on La Gloria. This time, it contained "a candid two-hour interview in Malacañang" in which GMA spoke with TIMEs William Green, Anthony Spaeth and Nelly Sindayen on June 1. The page was pointedly entitled: "FAMILY COMES LAST."
Proof of this will be demanded by the public in the next few days.
If she is to assert her leadership, demonstrate she makes tough decisions, be the agent of change, and justify God putting her in command in the Palace, President Macapagal-Arroyo must act.
The last quotation of the interview regards GMAs response to the query: "What keeps you going during difficult moments?"
Her answer: "Faith and trust in divine providence. Being a President is a lonely job. Most of my relationships are institutional rather than informal. So I pray constantly, and when things are difficult, I tell God, You put me here, and you have got to solve this problem . . ." God is my best friend. I share my problems with him."
Nowadays, even a prayerful GMA will have to admit, there are problems God cannot solve for her.
Who sez the military will follow former President, ex-Defense Secretary, ex-Chief of Staff, Fidel V. Ramos? Its true that FVR keeps on rushing to declare his loyalty and support for GMA while his old boys Kulang sa pansin rattle their rusty sabers and growl about an impending kudeta launched from the Old Folks Home.
But will the armed forces follow their ranting and raving? Why should they? The military is still asking what happened to the P7.8 billion military modernization fund. If its there where is it? Everytime one of our Philippine Air Force planes crashes (the last time, two brave brothers in the PAF perished in a single tragedy), our Navy finds itself without ships to answer an emergency, and our soldiers run out of bullets on the battlefield, the military wonder why they still havent been "modernized." If youll recall, thats one of the major gripes of the young Oakwood mutineers in July 27, 2003. It remains a major gripe in the ranks of those who didnt "rebel", too.
The P7.8 billion modernization fund should have been released during FVRs time. Was it?
As for another purported "people power" to topple GMA I can see that our people are tired. Theyre tired of going to the streets to try to replace leaders whose successors will only do the same. People pawis, i.e. more hard work is what we need, and our people, hopefully, will begin to realize that.
Enough of this media feeding frenzy were experiencing anew over coup rumors. Were "destabilizing" only ourselves.
Gee whiz. Even the normally sarcastic and tart-tongued US Charge dAffaires, Joe Mussomeli, had to rush to publicly express American support for GMAs "legitimate" government. Mussomeli, of course, doesnt have to sweat it. Hell soon be leaving for Cambodia. His next assignment is Phnom Penh.