We are a desperate people. We cling to thin threads of hope that a leader will emerge to finally make it right for our country and our people.
Over the past 72 years of independence, generations of political leaders have betrayed our people and forced many of the less fortunate to earn a living abroad. We have been left behind by our neighbors who once envied the headstart we enjoyed in economic, political and social development.
We have tried US-style democracy, as chaotic as it is in Washington DC. We tried strong man rule with former president Ferdinand Marcos and ended up with one family and their cronies stealing the nation’s wealth.
We tried to go back to democracy with the so-called EDSA revolution whose 32nd anniversary we celebrate next Sunday. But the leaders after EDSA gave democracy a bad name. This is why our people are once more ready to surrender democratic rights to a strong leader who is not afraid to confront the traditional elite and correct decades of social injustice.
It is this blind surrender that worries me. Our strong leader bravely promises to reform society and its politics, but is unable to keep his word. Worse, people in their desperation close their eyes and cling to their hope that this time this man is different.
I thought so too. When he first came into the scene, he was a relief from the pompous, self righteous, but incompetent P-Noy.
Almost two years into his presidency, is Mr. Duterte really that different? My doubts increase each day.
It isn’t his outrageous remarks that bother me. I see that as showbiz license a politician needs to entertain an audience, but does not affect policy decisions. Until it does!
Like when... Mr. Duterte castigated an undersecretary in a fiery speech and dismissed her on mere suspicion she is working against the interests of farmers. Turns out she was implementing a new rice importation policy that presumably had Mr. Duterte’s prior approval. She remained fired anyway even after clarifications were made.
Several high officials were unceremoniously fired and shamed for supposedly taking too many foreign trips. Last month, Philippine Star reported President Duterte declared war on government officials who have been using their posts to abuse travel abroad, equating these with corrupt activities.
“Corruption is really prevalent, and I’m starting it with those guys who have been wasting money, going in and out of the country as if they own the money and for nothing,” the President said.
This was music to the ears of hardworking taxpayers who surrender over four months’ worth of earnings to taxes every year. But it turns out Mr. Duterte is selective in applying this rule on wasteful travel. It does not apply to those who are close to him. His Davao cronies are exempted.
Mr. Duterte keeps on saying that even just a whiff of impropriety will make him fire an official. Yet, with not just a whiff, but documented, impropriety by his tourism secretary, there is not a word from Mr. Duterte or his spokesman.
It will be recalled The STAR reported last week that the tourism secretary was accompanied by a make-up artist (she claims he is her executive assistant, but sources insist make up artist talaga) and office clerks during her trips to various countries in 2016 and 2017.
Documents obtained by The STAR showed three utility workers, and even drivers, also went on official trips. She said she only gave free cabins to lower level employees from a cruise liner at no expense to government.
After some employees filed a complaint about abuses of travel privileges by her and other tourism officials, she started courting them. Aside from letting them travel too, she now gives them birthday bonuses, a practice previously disallowed by the Commission on Audit. Is the present COA auditor also compromised by travel perks from her?
This is simply impunity on her part. Instead of disciplining those under her, she abets the abuse. She probably thinks she can do anything with our money and Mr. Duterte will let her.
The President could have, at the very least, ordered her investigated. After all, this is more than a whiff. Mr Duterte couldn’t have missed the frontpage story on The Star.
Sayang! Not many may realize it, but we now have the most powerful president ever. He controls Congress and even the Supreme Court. He can do almost anything he wants, even to change our Constitution. He doesn’t even need rev gov to reform government, if he really wants to.
But those around him, like the tourism secretary, have become so arrogant with power. Last week, the Speaker bullied Lance Gokongwei of Cebu Pacific, ordering him to get out of Terminal 3 in 45 days or lose his franchise. A congressman said Mr. Duterte can fire the Chief Justice. They ignore the ombudsman.
They are testing the waters, and seeing no strong opposition or objection from us, we can wake up one morning to a very different Philippines.
Don’t get me wrong. I still prefer Mr. Duterte’s decisiveness to the teka teka and self righteousness of the yellows. But we must be careful that our silence is not interpreted as concurrence with everything they are doing.
I like Mr. Duterte’s decisiveness in dealing with the telco issues. He should be as decisive with the long festering problem of NAIA’s congestion and MRT3’s unreliability.
His approach to China leaves much to be desired, but I can also understand why he is taking such a conciliatory approach. Maybe like Mr. Duterte, I am hoping the Chinese will reciprocate the goodwill by letting us save some face in the South China Sea. It may be a foolish hope, but that’s our unfortunate situation.
Even a whiff, Mr President. That’s what you said. But the selective application damages your credibility. Isusumbong ka namin kay Tulfo!
Boo Chanco’s e-mail address is bchanco@gmail.com. Follow him on Twitter @boochanco