Where do we go from here?

Franklin Delano Roosevelt was elected president when the USA and all of the world was suffering from the Great Depression. And he mesmerized the nation by speedily getting Congress to pass laws to address the woeful state of the economy, while giving the ordinary man instant relief from unemployment.

Thus did the tradition of using the first 100 days become a metric of how a new president should take “the bull by the horns” and thus provide a vision of an active and effective administration.

Mainstream media honored the tradition by generally being less critical, giving the new administration a gentler space within which to show its wares.

After the long reign of Ferdinand Marcos Sr., the 100-day honeymoon with Cory Aquino was likewise observed by media, such that even when she closed down the Batasan Pambansa and instituted a “revolutionary government” less than a month after the EDSA Revolt, media and the public kept their peace.

The clock has turned full circle, of course, and the son of the leader removed on February 25, 1986 is now the overwhelmingly elected president of the land, after a little more than 36 years and four months.

Although ours is some four generations from 1932 when FDR got himself elected, our economic situation may not be too different.

Although our growth numbers are showing some marginal recovery after the pandemic years, and America’s coming recession cannot yet be characterized as a “great depression,” the problems ordinary Filipinos experience and the struggle to find the wherewithal for the next meal are far too grave compared to any other point in our history since the Second World War.

But the events immediately before the 100-day day milestone of the present administration have kept people wondering where the nation is going, and how it will cope with the crisis besetting us all.

To borrow the title of many songs by different singers across generations, including the popular Alicia Keys, the thinking Filipino now asks, along with the pained lyrics from Andrew Lloyd Weber’s musical “Evita:”

“Where do we go from here?”

The President’s first SONA gave us hope that he had the answers. The speech was replete with legislative measures for Congress to pass, and an enumeration of promises on how to get us out of the woods.

But no major legislation has yet been passed, although to Speaker Martin Romualdez’ credit, his House went through the record-high budget in record time as well.

Since the budget is nothing more nor less than the economic program of government written in pesos and centavos, the net effect of its promises will begin fruition only next year.

In his 100-day day address, our president pointed out to his getting the “best and the brightest” to help him form a “functional government.”

That does not provide us any answers. The question of where we are going, and how we will get out of the rut, which to be fair, is not Pres. Marcos’ doing, remains in many, many minds.

What stands out among all the recent events is a palace in the midst of confusion, its major actors troubled by crises big and small of their own making, and their replacement by new players most of whom have yet to be sourced from among 110 million Filipinos who should be more than willing to help the nation get through the storm and into calm waters.

Not only the head-chopping left us aghast. The manner the public decapitations was handled left so many reputations needlessly shattered, while confidence in how and where we are going kept the thinking sector of the population worried.

The primus inter pares of the Cabinet has quit, and thankfully, his replacement is an experienced jurist and a bar topnotcher.

The press secretary, a lawyer and social media advocate, will soon be replaced by a former broadcast journalist whose family is deeply entrenched in the politics of one of our largest provinces.

As this article is being written two days before it sees print, and the President has announced that he will appoint someone this week, I hope Gilbert Remulla’s name has not yet been splashed in the headlines before this Monday morning. Or I could be dead wrong, for which I apologize this early.

Someone was approached and preferred to retain his present post, even if being press secretary is a promotion and right within his alley.

A highly creative person declined out of delicadeza as he is a relative of the First Lady even if there is no legal prohibition.

Another was considered to a post he briefly held in a past presidency, and in fact expressed willingness, but the appointing power is weighing the implications of his corporate connection.

Meanwhile, Atty. Cheloy Garafil left what many would call a “juicy” position as head of LTFRB to assist in the transition, as undersecretary and meanwhile man the ramparts as OIC while awaiting the president’s definitive communications czar.

Her devotion to the principal, answering the call to duty in a moment of temporary crisis, speaks highly of her character.

We wish our friend Gilbert the best. It is a high profile job, but it is also a thankless 24/7 responsibility.

Still and all, 100 days in this age is an outdated metric of a president’s promise, and certainly not an accurate crystal ball on his over-all performance.

What do we remember of PRRD’s first 100 days other than Operation Tokhang and his departure from Uncle Sam’s perpetual embrace, while singing hossanas to China?

Or of PNoy other than the cessation of “wang-wang” in our culture of entitlement, and the infamously mishandled bloody hijacking of a tour bus filled with Hong Kong visitors?

GMA’s first 100 days was tumultuous. She had her predecessor imprisoned, causing an outpouring of sympathy that almost toppled her reign 100 days after her succession.

That is what many will remember when asked about her first media milestone, yet looking back, it also showed the steel in her nerves and the Machiavellian savvy that was to characterize her administration as it went from one political crisis to another.

FVR, who won by the slimmest of electoral margins, started first by humbly getting his adversaries, except one who spurned him, to unite behind his efforts at reforming an economy still bogged down in monopoly capitalism, and got a Congress that did not support him in his electoral quest to rally behind his mission.

The first 100 days of President Marcos Jr. also comes at a time when malls are putting up the Christmas tinsel that have been sorely missed in the more than two years of the pandemic.

After two years of muted holiday celebrations, the forthcoming is met with nostalgia of years past when tables were laden with goodies.

Our trade officials fret about the cost of noche buena items which are almost wholly imported, but the legions of our poor people worry not about apples and quezo de bola, but about tomorrow’s or tonight’s meal.

The president is right when on his 98th day as president, he repeated his concern about the woeful state of agriculture and our food security situation, and resolved to go beyond achieving food security into “making the Philippines a leading agricultural resource hub in the region and the world.”

It is an aspiration similar to the 20-peso kilo of rice, for, given our geography, our culture, and the almost criminal neglect of the agricultural sector for the last 40 years, the president should just concentrate at trying his best to solve our food security nightmare.

Sugar, despite the news of importation, is still high, and will likely remain high. Even rice is inching upwards, and, God forbid, we may have people lining up for their daily intake after the holidays.

Just ensuring we have enough food to feed our teeming population is already such a herculean task.

Perhaps the aspiration of creating an agricultural resource hub is something best left for VP Inday Sara to build six years hence, if the president starts with the foundation during his term.

Meanwhile, a privately-commissioned rider in Pulse Asia’s latest Ulat ng Bayan measured the comparative trust rating of President Rodrigo Duterte three months after he left the presidency.

Graduating with the highest trust rating of any president since scientific polling began in this country, at 83 percent in June to an astounding 90 percent in September, one is amazed at the level of public approbation, nay, esteem for this simple man from Davao who never in his term got bedazzled by the trappings of power and privilege.

Tough “Deegong” or “Rody” and to us who served under him, always our loved PRRD, is now savoring retirement in the city he nurtured, occasionally visiting friends during their milestones.

Over dinner last Thursday night with a handful of those who likewise served him, the former ES, Bingbong Medialdea, got a call from PRRD.

“Tinuod ba kanang survey?” he asked. (Is that survey true?)

And when he was assured of its veracity, he simply and all too humbly muttered, “Salamat sa katawhan” (thanks to our people).