Keeping up with expectations

Our expectations with the new administration are high, and so far it seems President Duterte and his Cabinet members are just as enthusiastic not to disappoint. But it is alright to wonder how long this welcome change will last.

Two weeks since his inauguration, President Duterte has kept true to his promise that we will see a dramatic transformation, a metamorphosis in his language and behavior. I have not heard him curse anybody in his official speaking engagements… a very welcome change.

Indeed, Mr. Duterte had been very presidential in his demeanor. Two weeks on the job and he has obviously realized that unifying the country, after a very viciously divisive election campaign period, must be at his initiative.

Changing his mind and giving a Cabinet seat to Vice President Leni Robredo is one act of statesmanship. It helped too that the VP has gone out of her way to not be confrontational. She even declined the leadership of the Liberal Party. It is a correct move not to play partisan politics if she wants to be effective in carrying out her plans to help the under privileged. VP Leni chose people before party.

President Duterte’s all out war against the drug lords is a bit worrisome for those of us who value human rights. But then again, the extent of the drug menace had been shocking to many of us. We have apparently been isolated from its impact on many of our people.

Columnist Katrina Stuart Santiago explained why the poor seem to like the strong handed methods of Mr. Duterte, even if those killed so far have largely been poor too.

“Maybe their experience of living in the Philippines is such that the violence that drugs wreak on their lives is very different from my perceptions of it from the distance my social class affords me? Maybe all that I believe about drug rehabilitation, about justice, about jail time, maybe all that is theoretical and not at all what is true or correct for those who are actually victimized by the illegal drug trade?”

We may prefer giving accused criminal suspects, including scalawag police officers, their day in court. But for now, we presume President Duterte has more information. We continue to hope he is able to clean the country of this drug menace as quickly as possible.

  The President has taken great risk to his reputation so early in his term by naming and shaming the police generals. He has to eventually prove he is right by showing evidence that would stand in court.

For now, we can understand why the President has to take drastic measures to deliver a strong message to the police and all persons in authority that they cannot be part of the problem. As for presumption of innocence, people have already lost faith in our judicial system, precisely because the criminals have used it with impunity.

It is also extremely disappointing to realize the Aquino administration had not done what was required to address the drug menace. On the contrary, top drug lords were apparently allowed to run their illegal trade from the National Penitentiary, even enjoying luxurious privileges. That well publicized raid led by then Justice Secretary and now Senator Leila de Lima was apparently just for show.

The next step is to speed up the investigation and prosecution of everyone denounced by the President of having links with the illegal drugs mafia. We must see high ranking police officers behind bars within the next six months to win back the public’s trust in government.

Among the Cabinet members, it is good to note that one of the most active is Transport Secretary Art Tugade. He has the most to show in the short term because there are low hanging fruits in his area that the Aquino administration stubbornly neglected.

It is good for Mr. Tugade to set simple goals to accomplish for NAIA within the first 100 days: clean toilets and faster WiFi. Indeed, many small gestures of concern will go a long way in giving Mr. Tugade the support he needs to carry out longer term plans.

In 2014, the government spent P32.6 million to install major fixtures at 121 NAIA toilets. The project included new water closets, sensor-type urinals, lavatories, tiles, ceilings, and waterproofing works. But maintenance was neglected. Tugade quickly sought the help of the local airlines to maintain those toilets at no cost to government.

The new airport GM also seems to be on the ball. A recently retired station manager of Cathay Pacific, Ed Monreal instituted what he calls common sense things to do. For example, they will now simply confiscate single bullets found in passenger luggage to stop the tanim bala scam.

Monreal also ordered that aircraft loading and unloading passengers would be given priority to use the airport terminal bay or the tube. Monreal explained that this policy is a standard international practice to ensure that passengers, especially the elderly, persons with disability, or passengers that need special assistance would not be burdened with riding a transfer bus from a remote parking.

Let us see if budget airline passengers at Terminal 3 would now be able to use the loading tube. The airlines have complained the tubes are always out of order and they get the blame from their passengers.

Still at Terminal 3, Monreal may also want to look into a complaint from my friend lawyer Beverly Ann Noriega which she posted on Facebook:

 “Imagine this – I was at the Terminal 3 airport on a holiday rush en route to Hong Kong when I saw a lot of passengers waiting for their check-in time sitting on the floor. What a ghastly sight!

“But to console myself, I justified it that, being a poor country, maybe we really could not afford chairs for inconvenienced travelers who, ironically, pay for terminal fees allegedly for the upkeep and upgrade of the airports.

“As I entered the pre-departure area, I was shocked to see rows and rows of metal chairs not being used by anyone, but neatly piled at one side facing the back wall. Can you please explain to me what these chairs are for – display??? Duh!!!”

Overall, there are more bits and pieces of good news that seem to indicate that change has come and more can be expected.

Again, Ms. Stuart Santiago observed: “This is the first President I’ve seen who is very clear about what the nation needs, about how the marginalized and poor have suffered enough, about who it is we need in government, and what kind of government we need.”

Here is another insight on Duterte from a retired executive in one of my e-groups: “The guy looks street smart in a way that will enable him to figure out how to stop the elite from continuing to hog the fruits of the land (and I don’t mean only mining).

“I think he can see through the machinations of the elite. They may find themselves having competition that they ought to have had three administrations ago.

“Among other things, I like that he’s not having his people stop major infrastructure projects the previous administration had started. There’s a strong common-sense gene in the Duterte camp. Although a lawyer himself, it looks like he won’t let lawyerly obstructionism get in the way.”

The only big miss so far is the appointment of Jun Yasay to head the DFA. He talks too much, and in the process he seems to have sold out the country to China, at least in the matter of Bajo de Masinloc.

I hope President Duterte sees the damage being done by Yasay, a complete amateur in the high stakes game of international diplomacy. And isn’t Yasay a US green card holder? That seems anomalous for someone who heads our foreign office.

Yasay aside, it does seem change has come. But it has just been two weeks. Let’s see what happens next.

Boo Chanco’s e-mail address is [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @boochanco.