"What could be Arroyo’s and Duterte’s next steps?"
Last Sunday I was invited to a despedida party thrown by her staff for former President and now also former Speaker Gloria Arroyo. Her legendary hospitality was again on full display at her La Vista residence as the guests—from congressmen to drivers—exchanged war stories from her colorful life and career.
My own highlight was taking a couple of selfies with the beauteous Dawn Zulueta, spouse of the oh-so-lucky Congressman Anton Lagdameo. A clearly star-struck staffer exclaimed that she was in the presence of nothing less than “a goddess.” I normally don’t speak to such Olympian excess, but in her case I’m inclined to agree.
Up to literally the very last minute, the Speaker wasn’t letting up on her equally legendary work ethic, calling oversight meetings to look into the water crisis in Metro Manila. Now that we’ve learned that a water master plan was junked way back in 2012 by the unlamented PNot administration, we can only imagine how the crisis might have been averted with someone other than an autist seated in the Palace.
With Mrs. Arroyo out of Congress, one popular guessing game around town is what she will do next for an encore. Professor at some university abroad? Ambassador plenipotentiary? Secretary of this or that in the Duterte cabinet? The lady herself just flashes her enigmatic smile and says she will simply write her memoirs and perhaps consult for the provincial government of her beloved Pampanga.
Me, I’m inclined to believe her. She may have regained her normal weight after dropping to a skeletal 70 pounds during her years in detention, but she still cannot move her head more than 45 degrees sideway, with that titanium brace in her neck spine still pressed up against her windpipe. You can almost see that iron willpower at work as she goes through the ordinary motions of everyday life.
But—as she did with the Speakership when it was pressed upon her—I don’t think she will break her lifelong habit of saying yes if and whenever duty again calls. It’s a quality that Cong Dadong—by now perhaps eclipsed by his willful daughter—would be proud of.
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It’s not only what GMA will be doing with the rest of her life that’s got people guessing. More importantly for the country, it’s what President Duterte plans to do with the mountainous political capital he’s sitting on, as he enters the second half of his term in office. Will he simply try to conserve it (for no clear end), or will he use it to push monumental causes for which—if he succeeds—he will forever be remembered?
His press secretary, Martin Andanar, says that Duterte plans to focus the rest of his term on three important areas. One is lifting even more people out of poverty, now that he’s already brought self-rated poverty down to record levels (according to SWS) with a wide range of populist measures—universal health care, free college tuition, free irrigation, higher salaries for policemen and soldiers and next for public school teachers—as well as 6-7 percent economic growth every year.
The second is continuing his “Build Build Build” infrastructure program, which has been favorably remarked by the rating agencies for its implications for economic growth, even if it does bump up our deficit numbers. With roads and bridges sprouting everywhere, to be followed by airport revamps and new mass transit systems, the third act will soon be upon us: a third telco, new wholesale sources of water, and replacing a raft of ageing, outage-prone power plants.
The third objective is a permanent end to the communist insurgency—a persistent blight whose political roots date back all the way to the founding of the Socialist Party by labor organizer Crisanto Evangelista in the 1920s. A conflict that’s been around that long must be permanently resolved if we are to unleash our full potential for economic growth.
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But what about federalism, it’s being asked. Is this seminal plank of Duterte’s campaign platform in 2016 turning out to be too much even for the amount of political capital he now enjoys?
Most recently, the President told his critics that he would understand if they continue to reject federalism, but that, in any case, the Constitution still needs to be amended if they want to change the country for the better. His comment might be better appreciated if we take a closer look at the proposed new Constitution that seems to be emerging from a literally three-year-old process of consultation and preparation.
As a matter of fact, there is much more to that draft in progress. Yes, federalism is and always will be an integral part of the proposed new governance. At the end of the day, if Metro Manila (according to the latest numbers) grew by 40 percent while the Bangsamoro region did not budge at all, how will we ever do better than 6-7 percent economic growth? This can happen only if the provinces catch up with the metropolis.
But there is also a whole raft of political reforms being proposed, which may not even be related to, or dependent upon, federalism. There is the strengthening of political parties through proportional representation in the legislature, mandatory audit of parties, and self-executory provisions against dynasties and turncoatism.
Most intriguing is a possible shift to a parliamentary system, with the country run by a dual-executive President and Prime Minister. Legislator-executives from the Parliament would be held on a very short leash by the public through the mechanisms of recall, the question hour, no-confidence votes, and outright dissolution.
Liberalizing the economy can, in fact, be pursued even without federal or parliamentary change. So is far-ranging judicial reform, where the perennial problem of case backlogs is addressed by enforcing strict new rules of court, creating more High Courts and/or a regional system of appellate courts with final jurisdiction.
In short, it won’t be just about federalism. It will be all about creating a new Constitution for the new millennium.
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Today’s reading about the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah (Gn 19: 15-29) might resonate with current public anxiety over natural disasters like earthquakes. Those two sinful cities were “turned upside down” most likely by an earthquake which also led to disastrous fires in a region rich in bitumen and other flammable gases.
In today’s Gospel account (Mt 9: 23-27), Jesus calmed the stormy waters that suddenly beset Him and His disciples in a boat. Here the word “storm” originally referred to an earthquake, a metaphor commonly used in apocalyptic literature to describe how God literally shakes the old world when He brings in His new kingdom.
Whether the earthquake was punitive (as with Sodom) or instructive (to teach Jesus’ terrified followers a lesson about faith), the point is the same: Put your trust in the Lord. The God who rained down fire and brimstone on the Sodomites is the same God whom even stormy winds and waves obeyed on the Sea of Galilee.
Yesterday, the House of Representatives conducted the Question Hour with Department of Budget and Management Secretary Ben Diokno pursuant to House Resolution No. 2307 which I had filed. The House Resolution invited the DBM Secretary to clarify the alleged budgetary insertions and other irregularities and inconsistencies in the General Appropriations Bill for 2019.
The interpellation yesterday yielded several issues. First is that there is disproportionate budget allocation for the infrastructure projects in Sorsogon. These projects consist of construction of roads, flood mitigation structures, and access roads. Coincidentally or not, almost 90 percent of these projects were awarded to one construction firm. However, this construction firm is actually a sole proprietorship based in Bulacan—meaning just one person owns the whole company. What makes it more questionable is that the projects are worth roughly P3.5 billion in total. In a province with a population of 790,000 and area of 2,000 square kilometers, this amount is not commensurate. Moreover, it is highly unlikely that a single proprietor construction company in Bulacan be awarded with projects worth billions. Usually, such projects are awarded to triple A contractors.
Secretary Diokno also denied knowledge of the fact that his in-laws were running for public office in Sorsogon. Filipino families are well-known to be tightly-knit. Therefore, it is highly improbable that families do not disclose or even consult one another regarding big decisions, like running for public office. This denial of Secretary Diokno raises more questions.
I remain firm on my call for a transparent and factual budget. It is relevant to reiterate that 2019 is an election year. This highlights the importance of scrutinizing the budget to ensure that irregular and dubious insertions will not miss the keen eye of legislators. We, the Minority, shall continue our assessment of such allegations that cast serious doubt on the disbursement of public funds. Resolution invited the DBM Secretary to clarify the alleged budgetary insertions and other irregularities and inconsistencies in the General Appropriations Bill for 2019.
The interpellation yesterday yielded several issues. First is that there is disproportionate budget allocation for the infrastructure projects in Sorsogon. These projects consist of construction of roads, flood mitigation structures, and access roads. Coincidentally or not, almost 90 percent of these projects were awarded to one construction firm. However, this construction firm is actually a sole proprietorship based in Bulacan—meaning just one person owns the whole company. What makes it more questionable is that the projects are worth roughly P3.5 billion in total. In a province with a population of 790,000 and area of 2,000 square kilometers, this amount is not commensurate. Moreover, it is highly unlikely that a single proprietor construction company in Bulacan be awarded with projects worth billions. Usually, such projects are awarded to triple A contractors.
Secretary Diokno also denied knowledge of the fact that his in-laws were running for public office in Sorsogon. Filipino families are well-known to be tightly-knit. Therefore, it is highly improbable that families do not disclose or even consult one another regarding big decisions, like running for public office. This denial of Secretary Diokno raises more questions.
I remain firm on my call for a transparent and factual budget. It is relevant to reiterate that 2019 is an election year. This highlights the importance of scrutinizing the budget to ensure that irregular and dubious insertions will not miss the keen eye of legislators. We, the Minority, shall continue our assessment of such allegations that cast serious doubt on the disbursement of public funds.
Readers can write me at [email protected].