Pessimism, optimism greet Aquino presidency

If there are no other impediments or monkey wrenches thrown their way, President apparent, Sen. Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III will be proclaimed President-elect, together with Vice-President elect Jejomar Binay. It’s a full month right after the supposedly successful automated elections, which in my book isn’t really that successful because there are just too many irregularities that were reported. How I wish that the PCOS machines truly delivered as they were supposedly designed to do; but then, it is only now that we can say with certainty that Binay won the Vice-Presidential race.

By the end of this month, President-elect Aquino will take his oath of office. By God’s grace we wish that his campaign slogan, “Walang Mahirap kung Walang Corrupt” would come true, that within his six-year term, he would do what all the other Presidents of this land failed to deliver, that is, to bring this nation out of the clutches of poverty and finally give us a corrupt-free government. Forgive me for my skepticism, but the bets are high that Pres. Aquino will fail in this endeavor. Just looking at the Cabinet members already gives you a glimpse of what to expect in the very near future.

Worse, one of the best tool to aid us in the fight against corruption, the Freedom of Information Act (FOI) failed to pass in the 14th Congress. So until and unless Pres. Aquino makes the FOI his priority bill in the 15th Congress, don’t blame us for having serious doubts about his capability to forge the changes that this nation needs to usher a new kind of development that would help eradicate the cancer of corruption in this country and usher a new era of economic development.

As The Philippine Star editorial yesterday correctly pointed out, “The effort to promote transparency now falls on the shoulders not of the incoming 15th Congress, but on the next President, Benigno Aquino III. Except for the high number of congressmen who have bolted the pro-Arroyo Lakas-Kampi-CMD for other parties, the quality of the House membership has largely remained the same - landed, moneyed, and fiercely protective of the principal family enterprise - politics. Congressmen like the pork barrel system and the opaqueness that allows them to get away with fat commissions from contractors and payoffs from lobby groups.

Public expectations of Aquino are focused on his main campaign promise: To drastically reduce if not eliminate corruption. Even if he is blocked by an uncooperative Congress, Aquino can bypass the legislature and wield his executive powers to promote transparency at all levels of government. He can set reasonable limits in invoking executive privilege. He can strengthen the government’s auditing and anti-corruption arm. He can reward success stories in plugging opportunities for graft.”

I’m not optimistic because we know too well who are the people surrounding Noynoy Aquino. However, allow me to reprint excerpts from a letter by Tony Meloto of Gawad Kalinga fame, who supported Aquino and is perhaps the most optimistic person that I know.

“Is it possible for Filipinos within my lifetime—I just turned 60—to unite and raise a great President who can make us believe that ours can be a strong nation? I believe we can. That leader can be President-elect Benigno C. Aquino III. The historic moment can be now.

Hopefully, we don’t squander this chance. Time is running out on my generation and I don’t want my children to inherit a country that they cannot be proud of, that will not guarantee them safety and opportunity for a dignified life. The first 100 days after June 30 is not just for the new President to prove to us that he can lead but, more importantly, for all of us to prove to ourselves that we love this country enough to set aside our differences and interests to help him succeed and finally show the world that we are not too selfish, self-serving and downright stupid…in the practice of our faith and freedom.

The first 100 days is our test if we can do things differently given this new window of opportunity. We not only need a good leader but we have to prove to ourselves that we are deserving of a good one. The new President has feet of clay who has yet to end his nicotine addiction and he will most likely fail us if we do not give him the strength he needs to overcome his weaknesses. He needs us as we need him to be strong as a people. Let’s try our best not to fail one another.” I salute the optimism of Tony Meloto because we belong to the same boat and the same generation who have gotten sick and tired of old partisan and bickering politics that helps no one. As Meloto said, “To build a strong nation, we must learn to engage everyone, bridge gaps that divide and leverage limited resources by encouraging those who have to give more to those who have less.”