Invoking his fifth

 It was a SONA much different from the four previous ones. For one thing, the Aquino administration is experiencing its lowest approval rating in its four years in office. Two impeachment cases, with a third one on its way, are hounding the President. And the usual critics have found an issue they can swarm on:the Supreme Court’s decision on the unconstitutionality of the Disbursement Acceleration Program.  The Aquino administration is under siege.

 Everyone expected the President to start the fifth annual speech with his usual tirade of late against the Supreme Court. But it was the smartest move not to give in to what his administration’s enemies wanted.PNoy started with the latest accomplishments of government — from projects that have taken decades ago and now reaching completion, the beneficiaries and successes of DAP, the new and modern equipment of the AFP and PNP, the upgrade to Category 1 by the ICAO allowing carriers to return to Europe, and much more. He also extolled cabinet members for jobs well done.The usual critics, along with some new ones, shrugged that the President was merely patting itself on the back. But you wonder what these guys expected PNoy to say in his SONA. Certainly the President always enumerates accomplishment. And with much to enumerate, that he surely did. Criticism should always be welcome. But facts should also be acknowledged. How the critics will refute the numbers will be interesting to see, if they ever get there. The President obviously wants the public to appreciate the large white wall, instead of focusing on the small black stains which his critics tunnel vision want to magnify.

 Our glass is half full, not half empty. No government is perfect, nor has the right to claim so. But this administration has certainly moved forward by leaps and bounds to curb corruption. Corruption has been the one single, festering problem of the country for as long as I can remember, and only this Aquino administration has tackled it head on and with a large measure of success. A sitting Supreme Court Chief Justice impeached, sitting Ombudsman replaced, a sitting governor of a powerful province disqualified and unseated,an ex-president under arrest and, for now, three sitting senators under arrest for plunder.More to come, according to this administration. Good governance,  reform and accountability. I have not seen any other administration, no other President since Marcos that has exhibited, actualized as much political will for reform and against corruption as this President. 

 I would have wanted to hear good news with regards to the Freedom of Information Bill which has been on the table for some time now. Having this bill passed into law would boost the Chief Executive’s “Matuwid na Daan”. He has promised that the bill would be passed before his term ends. We’ll have to see. It also remains to be seen if he intends to replace certain personalities among his deputies that have come under hard fire for perceived and alleged incompetencies and corruption. 

 PNoy then played the emotional card — something unexpected but, to me, the only way he could have made this crucial moment work. Unrehearsed and extemporaneous,  he recalled the attempt on his life during the coup of 1987. He is living his second life and intends to use it serving the people. He would never turn his back on his parents’ martyrdom and heroism. The usual suspects have done and are doing the expected: act holier than thou and try to unseat Aquino. Now Aquino has responded with the unexpected. Now, the critics move. What next?

 The unanimous decision of the Supreme Court on the unconstitutionality of the DAP may have its basis. It is a stretch to try to prove there aren’t basis on a 13-0 vote. Without all the extraneous utterances and emotion, as former Chief Justice Art Panganiban succinctly points out, the arguments are simple and both the Chief Executive and the SC are doing a legitimate push and pull on the issues. We just have to calmly wait it out. The President and the SC are co-equal branches of government. As such, PNoy has every right to question.

 Critics might think it’s a field day. But this particular misinterpretation of the regulations on fund disbursement is simply that: a misinterpretation. The past disbursement can’t be retroactively considered unlawful prior to the decision of the SC regarding its unconstitutionality. There is what is often referred to as “the spirit of the law”. Essentially, what should be questioned is motive or intent. And in actuality, where did the money go? The President said it well in Tagalog, “nagkamali man kami sa paraan ng pagsala ng pera sa Tao, sa tao parin naman ito napunta” (we might have made a mistake in the way we got the money to the people who need it. But we got the money to the people who need it).If they made a mistake in the processing of government savings, which at the time of the DAP’s creation and subsequent disbursement they believe had legal basis under the government’s Administration Code, the funds were put to good use, with results and documents to prove them. What the usual critics have been trying their darnest to put the President in the same company as past presidents who bled this country dry. If they’re so high on their horses, where is their outrage on an apparent overpriced parking building, now the subject of  a  plunder complaint filed against a father and son tag team occupying high and powerful positions in government? You wonder.

 The President has two years left in his term. Much has yet to be done. We have problems in the power sector, infrastructure, poverty, health, education, peace and order. No administration can realistically solve everything in six years, especially after decades of plunder and pillage in past administrations. An impeachment complaint is a bizarre option. Take PNoy out now? And then?  There are all the reasons to continue reform, and all the wrong reasons to even think of replacing Aquino. In all my years in journalism I’ve not seen such resolve for reform against corruption from any of the past Presidents, and such resolve must continue after his term if majority of the ordinary, small lives are to directly benefit and improve. I give PNoy more than just passing marks by his fifth year in office. Yes he is human, he may make mistakes. But his sincerity in service is palpable. Until anyone can prove otherwise, he does not steal money. He has so far lived his second life more than well.