Sic transit gloria mundi

People have clearly ignored the suggestion of President Bongbong Marcos not to put too much meaning to the demotion of former president Gloria Macapagal Arroyo from Senior Deputy Speaker down to plain Deputy Speaker in the House of Representatives.

Why not? In terms of communications strategy, the “Demotion of PGMA” would give the people something else to talk about other than our food inflation, the President being the Secretary in Absentia of the Department of Agriculture, and all the bad news suggesting that we no longer have food security!

People are clearly interested in the “Demotion of PGMA” because it could be a sign of Dis-Unity within the PBBM political alliance. In fact, there are already quips or jokes going around that the PBBM election mantra of “UNITY” has been replaced with the political agenda for “Continuity,” suggesting that one of his relatives is gunning to be the next president after him.

I have received calls from politicians as well as “retired” officials from past administrations commenting or curious about the recent events. One veteran player who still keeps his lines of communications with other public figures open expressed his dismay, and how low the level of respect that today’s members of Congress showed towards PGMA.

He declared sadly: “Sic Transit Gloria Mundi” or thus passes the glory of the world or power. With a tinge of bitterness, he could not help but condemn the congressmen for being so shameless. As for the issue of a rumored coup d’etat in Congress, another politician pointed out that nothing happens in Congress without the Speaker of the House knowing about it. In a Congress where there are few real political parties based on platforms, the virtual absence of loyalty and extent of individual political insecurity is to be expected. As a consequence, every Speaker has had to contend with rivals and usurpers and always, enterprising members of Congress have used the information to win favor and eventually get rewards in terms for pork barrel or projects for their districts.

Ironically, the richer they are, the greater their need to curry favor and protect not only themselves but their growing businesses, properties and franchises. They constantly need to be aligned with power and with who gives out the committee positions and pork barrel. If Roman senators could assassinate an emperor, demotion of the little lady is all in a day’s work.

As one of our living presidents, good or bad she should have been treated with dignity or privately been asked to resign from the post.

Before we get any deeper into this, I just want to share a true-life story and lesson I learned from an American sabungero I used to go around with in my misguided youth. I’m hoping that this story will give congressmen something to think about before they sell out or trade “values” for currency.

This incident was back in the day when there used to be an annual show called “Holiday On Ice” and my friend “Roy” got to meet and dated one of the skaters on the show. Long story short, they liked each other, always had a good time. Then one day, I noticed that our “routine” or activities no longer included Roy’s girl. Turns out that the lady decided to come clean about being in an unhappy marriage and began talking about leaving her husband who was in another country in order to stay with my buddy long term.

This was a surprise to me back then, so I asked how Roy handled it. Turns out that he answered back with a stone cold “No.” Shocked, the lady could only say: “But why?” Roy replied: “Look, if you could do this to your husband, what’s to stop you from doing it to me?” Remember the lesson Mr. Congressman: “Do unto others as you would have others do unto you.” Imagine your future self in the same spot as PGMA.

In the news, PGMA was quoted as saying that her engagements “may have been misconstrued.” Someone has suggested that PGMA may have been punished for standing out in the recent official presidential trips abroad. In terms of media, PGMA was often mentioned, cited or featured as one of the closest senior advisers of President Bongbong Marcos while others in the party got only their position or relation to PBBM mentioned but rarely their relevance or contribution to the events.

Given her being a former president who also traveled and interacted with foreign heads of state and dignitaries, it was only normal and polite for Western and Asian heads of state to give her the recognition and respect due her. Unfortunately, these effectively sidelined or marginalized certain individuals who began to look more like photo bombers. That was probably the match that lit the fire.

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Responding to our column about nurses and medical workers, I received this note from our friend Mr. Michael Deakin, managing director of Lifeline 16911: “I think that both government and private sectors should offer full scholarships for nurses, medtech, radtech, EMTs, even doctors, etc. in return for a minimum number of years of service, i.e. four years full scholarship for four years work contract.

I believe that a feasible working formula for this is to mandate 1 or 2 percent of gross annual revenue to a scholarship fund that can only be spent on university courses or advanced training. In return, the government can give tax incentives on those amounts spent with proper receipts. It’s a win for students, a win for the health care industry and government.

Simply giving salary increases will only result in the costs being passed on to the patients’ bills, making an already expensive system even more unaffordable for the vast majority of Filipinos.

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