Somebody wrote that three women—Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte Carpio, Ilocos Gov. Imee Marcos and Rep. Gloria Arroyo—were responsible for the ouster of Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez.
Carpio and Marcos, both presidential daughters, called members of the House and asked them to install Arroyo.
People know too well that Alvarez had to be let go because he had offended so many of his colleagues with his dictatorial tendencies. Perhaps he felt complacent that his relationship with fellow Mindanawon President Rodrigo Duterte would make him keep his job. He was wrong.
Alvarez continued with his offensive ways, but Gloria was friendly to everybody in the House!
The consensus was for Gloria, who is a former president herself and an ally of Duterte.
When the President talked to both Alvarez and Arroyo, he knew he had no choice but to go with what the majority wanted.
What I cannot understand is why some senators are now against Gloria as speaker. For example, Senator Grace Poe cannot seem to accept that her father lost to Arroyo in the 2004 elections. Senator JV Ejercito also cannot accept the fact that his father was ousted from office, but I am perplexed —didn’t Gloria pardon Erap?
Senator Panfilo Lacson, meanwhile, brings up the scandals during the Arroyo administration.
All I can say is—“Inggit lang sila!”
Personally, I know that Gloria, given her expertise that comes from her nine-year rule as president, will lead Congress well. She knows what is good for the country, especially in terms of the economy.
Her legacy as president was an economic reform that gave us good economic growth.
I’ve been a journalist for nearly seven decades and have walked the corridors of power. I can say that Gloria was among the best presidents we ever had.
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The Senate should be thankful that Gloria is now at the helm of the House.
She was a senator before she became president, so she would know the sentiments of the Senate when it comes to voting in a joint session as provided for in the Constitution. She must know that the two chambers must vote separately.
On that score, the Senate should be assured that the senators would have their say when it comes to Charter change.
For his part, President Duterte would have no problem with Gloria as speaker. She will pursue his legislative agenda, having the support of the supermajority in the House.
If there is something substantial that the country can expect from the House, it is Gloria’s playing her part in the attainment of economic reform and sustainability.
As an economist, she would introduce legislation to create jobs and to arrest the rising prices of goods and services.
She is a former member of Congress, a senator, a vice president, a president. She has enough gravitas to be the main ally of President Duterte so he can fulfill his promise of change.
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I watched the President deliver his Sona last Monday. He equated human lives with human rights. He also said he would continue his bloody war on drugs.
Did the President mean he does not care about the thousands who had been killed? I am confused.
If that is the case, there is a flaw in his reasoning. Human lives and human rights are the same things. Logic cannot put one against the other.
No wonder human rights advocates have slammed Duterte’s campaign against illegal drugs. Human rights have become a casualty of his brutal war.
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The thing to watch with the installation of Arroyo as House Speaker is whether or not the House would have time for Charter change and a shift to a federal form of government.
Will Speaker Gloria still pursue what Alvarez had in mind?
If she will—though I don’t think there will be time—the Duterte administration may as well forget about shifting to a federal system in place of the unitary form that we now have.
It’s just as well. The economy will be sacrificed with no less than 18 federated states—some poorer than others, competing for investments and assistance from the national government.
Will Gloria, an economist, push federalism knowing its impact on the economy?
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