How about a positive approach?

There had recently been favorable reviews indicating that we are on the verge of economic take off.   These are printed in many international news magazines and business papers. If I may be allowed to collate these observations, we are ready to break out from economic standstill. We seem to enjoy the confidence of foreign heads of states and trans-national investors. Yes, there is still an understandable caution among them owing to some forgettable past administrations but the apparent present general trend is towards trusting in us and putting their portfolio in our shores.

One factor analysts point at in our favor is the perception that our national leadership, while not necessarily brilliant, is seemingly honest and sincere. Our president may not be a fountain of profound ideas but his projection of a relentless pursuit against corruption has made foreign funders take another look at the possibility of putting some of their resources in our soil. The campaign for taking the “matuwid na daan” may be achieving is mark because it looks like the corrupt rating we had years ago is getting reversed.     

The plethora of praises we continue to hear of the way the late Secretary Jesse M. Robredo comported himself in office will surely add to our growing distinction of good governance. Reports of his unique brand of leadership are most inspiring. The recognition of his noble accomplishments, coming as they do, from unpolluted sources puts him heads and shoulders above many of his peers. Why his feats are only publicized when he can no longer personally exemplify his vision could, to the pessimist, be a downside. But, to the greater majority among our people, they provide us parameters to ask our other leaders to tread his path, too.

Yet, I do not know why we cannot seem to surge forward in spite of the positive views published by international financial analysts. What ails our confidence that we cannot rev to the max?                 

When I consulted the dictionary, I found a number of definitions of the word confidence. From among them, I picked a description which considers it a state of mind. I chose this definition because, ironically, this aptly fits my view of our national situation.

Take the case of our Supreme Court. Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno took her oath as our Chief Justice while our people were riding high on the crest of the glowing accounts of the achievements of the late Sec. Robredo. Her appointment to take the place of someone who was thought to have betrayed public trust should have initiated the repair of the image of our judiciary. Her fresh face was very timely. We were with the president in the belief that even if there were more senior members of the court waiting to be appointed chief justice, her moral character complemented well enough with her impeccable academic credentials to deserve such historic appointment. We trusted the president so much as to commit no error in judgment.

But, no sooner than members of the bar and bench and some business sectors lauded the president for such a choice, our confidence seemed to be put to a test. Her being the correct choice has been stigmatized by few corners. Some social media inputs, most of which we shall have no opportunity to validate, gave remarks that cast doubt on our initial collective confident state of mind in her fortitude. Negative feedbacks provide the kind of caution that hinders our forward movement.

I like to believe that to stain the image of the new chief justice is the worst kind of Filipino “crab mentality”. Comments adverse to the integrity of the new chief magistrate are moot. These should have been aired in the sessions of the Judicial and Bar Council long before the president cast our country’s lot with her. Raising them now only tarnishes more our national image in such a possible degree that the favorable ratings we have recently enjoyed might be recast quite adversely. Confidence being a state of mind, let us make our approaches to all things we do positively and we can sally forward irreversibly.