August 03, 2003

The Philippine STAR, Opinion Page

Gloria in Excelsis 

By Babe Romualdez

Surely the smoke of battle has not yet subsided because when I met the President last Thursday at the Malacañang Music Room, she appeared very angry. From our conversation, I could immediately tell she was extremely disappointed because she did not get the kind of support she expected particularly from the business community. She said some people are glossing over what she has already done and misinterpreting her moves. GMA is obviously peeved at cynics who say she’s not performing well and totally disregarding the reforms and changes she supposedly accomplished since she became president. When I came to Malacañang, I had hoped to tell her – as a friend – that I’ve always believed in the silver lining in every cloud, and because of this, she should “seize the moment” when that moment comes, as it did during the Oakwood rebellion by the young officers. The rebellion created ripples of uncertainty in the business community among other things, and we all know that business, no matter how great or small, cannot thrive in uncertainty and doubt. That is why businessmen are jittery about the condition of the country today, especially now that the state of rebellion has not yet been lifted. Not only that, but there are continuing rumors that another mutiny, or a full-blown coup d’etat, could take place any time. “Seizing the moment” means she will have to personally take charge of the situation as President of the Republic, perhaps as Chief Executive of the business community, and Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces. This is an opportunity for her to show she’s in charge (although later that evening, during the MOPC, everyone can see she maintained her cool). Nonetheless, when I met her Thursday morning, at the onset of my conversation with her, I felt she wanted to “shoot the messenger” even before I got my bearing.

Be that as it may, the presidency is a thankless job and I understand that. At best, it is a lonely job where it’s difficult to trust anyone. Thomas Jefferson said, “To myself, personally, it brings nothing but increasing drudgery and loss of friends.” But these setbacks should not dampen her spirit and resolve even though she is an “accidental president” as she herself admitted. She has all the reason to stand firm because, as she also said, “There are no accidents with God.” 

But there are more to the problems of this country than meets the eye. During EDSA 1, for the first time, the president was installed in an extraordinary way. Even though it was applauded by the international community, the extraordinary way by which Mrs. Aquino became president bred a lot of uncertainty, instability, and six very serious coup attempts. It was only because of her focus that she stayed the course, and with the backing of the international community like the United States, she was able to establish the democratic system we have today. But EDSA 2 is a far cry from EDSA 1 because we had a democratically elected president then. People Power somehow encouraged the idea that if Filipinos don’t want the leadership, with total disregard to constitutional processes, all they have to do is go out into the streets and demand the ouster of a president. In short, if GMA could do it to Erap, Erap’s followers believe they could do it to GMA. It was this belief that led to the Labor Day Siege of Malacañang. I don’t want to sound like a nagging wife, but this is precisely the point why the elections in 2004 is extremely important. Ideally, it should be credible and it should give us a majority president. As I have said in past columns, it is only by having a majority president that this country could somehow have a semblance of stability and certainty which business so badly needs.

In short, being an accidental president has its consequences, and this is what’s rocking the boat. I have no doubt that GMA has already introduced reforms in government, but apparently, key issues have not yet changed. Take for example what she said about the grievances of the young officers, “Let us not gloss over the fact that these legitimate grievances, and I call them legitimate grievances, should be addressed through democratic means.” Calling it “legitimate” is an admission that these problems are still present (as it has been perhaps from the time of Marcos to the present) and that it is far from being solved. She also admitted that the “politization of the military” is an on-going problem, confirming only what a US General said in the New York Times that the most corrupt military in the region is the AFP. We’re extremely lucky there was no armed encounter between government forces and the rebels during the Oakwood rebellion, because once bloodshed begins, it would be very difficult to get out of the cycle of violence, as we have seen in other countries. Once violence takes place, we can kiss this country goodbye.

I’m sorry, Madam President, but whether you like it or not, it is also absolutely important for the public to know whether you are running in 2004 or not. Gagging journalists from asking you this question will only contribute to the instability we are experiencing today. I remember last December when you said you will not run. It created a very positive feedback from the business community because they knew then what to expect. Today, they’re in the dark again, and it’s causing a lot of uncertainty and speculation that could be damaging to the economy in the long run. If the president’s real goal is to continue to serve the country and do what is right, then it should not be taken against her if she decides to run again. If that is the case, then so be it! In fact, it could be a venue for GMA to validate her claim to the presidency, and more importantly, if she wins, this is a clear recognition of her achievements during the past two and a half years.

No one has a monopoly for love of country, but because she is the president, she must carry the burden. Let’s not be naïve; most people have their own personal agenda – politicians, businessmen, the military, civil society, etc. After all the experiences the country has been through, it should be time for us to mature politically and give up altogether the search for “personalities.” What we should look for in a leader is his or her capacity to make stark and tangible changes, no more, no less. It’s about time we start looking at the whole forest rather than just the trees. Because at the end of the day, we need to plant the seed of stability so that business and country would prosper. If this is what GMA believes she’s doing, she should stay focused and to hell with all the criticisms. In short, gloria in excelsis – glory to the highest goal of putting the country back on track. 

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Email: babeseyeview@hotmail.com

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