The shake-up starts

Finally, the revamp starts. Since a series of surveys showed President Estrada's performance ratings diving in the third quarter of 1999, he has indicated that he wants to shake up his Cabinet. Until a few days ago, however, this remained nothing more than a statement of intent, with the President apparently hoping for the storm to blow over. Instead the storm intensified into a typhoon, especially after the fourth-quarter survey showed his rating dipping further.

With the President hemming and hawing, some of his Cabinet members decided to give him an easier time by letting go of their posts. The first to go, however, were not necessarily those perceived to be bungling their job, but casualties of infighting among the President's men and women. Edgardo Espiritu has been known to be at odds with at least one Cabinet member and the head of the central bank. Last Wednesday, Espiritu quit his post as finance se-cretary, expressing hopes that his departure would unify the Cabinet. At the same time, Ronaldo Puno all but confirmed that he would be leaving his post in the Department of the Interior and Local Government. Puno is one of the few Cabinet members whose rating is up in the latest survey, but he can't work with his national police chief who happens to be the President's favorite cop.

To be sure, faults can be attributed to these two Cabinet members, but there are others who deserve to be given the boot ahead of them. Unless these officials submit irrevocable re-signations like Espiritu, however, the President may waffle all the way to 2004. Or he may just play a game of musical chairs, which this revamp is turning out to be. Part of the reason is that, as the President has pointed out, it's difficult to find replacements, especially if you're trying to recruit a competent person with a high-paying job in the private sector. But another reason which he may not admit is that he's finding it hard to let go of friends.

Even in this revamp, events seem to be unfolding beyond the President's control, contributing to uncertainty. Still, changes are good at the start of the year. The President has promised to announce his new team tomorrow. In this shake-up, there should be only one consideration -- not friendship, not political accommodation, but the good of the country.