No sense of urgency

Administration-backed candidates lost in the last May 13 local elections in Cavite, but that’s no reason for Liberal Party (LP) stalwart Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) Secretary Joseph E.A. (as in Emilio Aguinaldo) Abaya to make sure their hold over the province remains.

This was the subliminal message delivered by Abaya during the 115th Philippine Independence Day celebration held last Tuesday in Kawit, Cavite. Being a former congressman from Cavite, Abaya was the Cabinet official in attendance for the Independence Day program held in Kawit.

Moreover, Abaya is a direct descendant of one of our country’s revolutionary heroes, the late President Emilio Aguinaldo. It was not Abaya though but fellow LP stalwart Sen. Franklin Drilon who actually led the ceremonial reenactment of the first raising of the Philippine flag in the veranda of Aguinaldo’s house in Kawit.

By tradition and protocol, the flag-raising rites are led in accordance with the country’s hierarchy of government officials. Departing from tradition, President Benigno “Noy” Aquino III led the simultaneous flag-raising rites in the grounds of the Philippine Postal building at Plaza Lawton where the shrine of Andres Bonifacio stands nearby. It was held there because this year marks the 150th birth anniversary of the founder of the Katipunan — the revolutionary movement against Spanish colonizers in our country.

Vice President Jejomar Binay led the flag raising at Luneta in front of the monument of our country’s national hero, Dr. Jose Rizal. So the Independence Day rites at Kawit should have been the task of the Senate president. However, Senate president Juan Ponce Enrile resigned last week, a day before the 15th Congress bowed out of existence.

But even before the senators could formally elect their new leaders, Abaya already declared Drilon — who he introduced in Kawit flag-raising rites — as “the next Senate president.” 

Abaya should have been sensitive to parliamentary courtesies. Abaya was in Congress for three terms. He was on his third and last term in Congress when he decided to cut it short by accepting the Cabinet post. Abaya was then the LP secretary-general and had to give it up also in October 2012 after being appointed as DOTC Secretary.

In fairness to Drilon, he said he was merely invited by the National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) to do this honor in Kawit. What politicized the situation was the seeming presumptuousness of Abaya’s declaration when the Aquino Cabinet official is not even a member of the Senate.

Abaya must have conveniently forgotten the official line of the Palace that President Aquino does not meddle in internal affairs of the Senate, especially when it concerns leadership issues. Incidentally, the NHCP is under the Office of the President.

This early, Drilon is regarded as the presumptive Senate president when he publicly declared his interest and willingness to succeed Enrile. It is seen as a reward to Drilon who, as campaign manager of the administration-backed Senate ticket, steered Team PNoy to win nine of the 12 seats up for grabs in the last midterm elections.

In the presence of Drilon, P-Noy swore five of the Team PNoy senators along with several newly elected LP governors during en masse oath taking yesterday at Malacañang. With four LP senators beefed up by the newly elected Team PNoy Senate bets, Drilon is seen to have already the required number of 13 votes to become Senate president of the 16th Congress.

Still this is no reason for Abaya to prematurely proclaim Drilon and turn the flag-raising rites into a political rally for LP in Cavite.

In his prepared speech in Kawit, Drilon said the results of the elections were a reflection of Filipinos’ unwavering desire to achieve good governance. “Our people have shown in the recently held elections that they are one with us in the pursuit of ‘daang matuwid’ (righteous path),” Drilon said. “They are tired of the kind of governance that is driven by personal interests and ambitions. They want genuine and meaningful reforms.”

Was Abaya listening? After all, he was standing beside Drilon and within hearing distance of what his “presumptive” Senate president was saying. Since he took over at the DOTC, a number of major projects he has inherited from former DOTC secretary Mar Roxas II have not moved forward. Most, if not all, have reportedly remained at the bidding stage, including those in the attached agencies of the DOTC.

For one, there is no word yet as to how soon motor vehicle owners can secure their car plates at the Land Transportation Office (LTO). This is because the bidding for the car plate supply contract remains unresolved. It’s already midyear and there seems to be no sense of urgency to address this situation.

In the meantime, Abaya has secured the appointments of his former classmates to head at least two key attached agencies at DOTC. Upon his recommendation, P-Noy recently appointed his former classmate in the Annapolis Naval Academy in the US, Maximo Mejia Jr. to become the new administrator of the Maritime Industry Authority. Much earlier, Abaya’s former Philippine Science High School classmate Honorito Chaneco was named new administrator of the Light Rail Transit Authority.

Incidentally, the DOTC is again the favorite employment agency for retired or former military and police officials. After all Abaya served as the junior military aide-de-camp in the last two years of P-Noy’s late mother, former President Cory Aquino while he was still a young Naval officer.

With three years left of his term, P-Noy faces the challenge to turn into reality his “inclusive growth” policy that will make the economic gains felt by all.

Abaya heads an agency that could provide a major source for “inclusive growth” projects that will create much needed jobs and spread the economic benefits to the countryside. Abaya, however, seemingly has no sense of urgency but his order of priorities is mixed with politics.