Once he’d been a statesman
Such is the fate suffered by the former allies of the Yellowidiots whom they deem to have failed them in their exercise of proper judgment.
Fidel Ramos just got canceled by Yellowidiot chronicler MLQ3. Why? Because of his support to GMA during her darkest hour during the Hyatt 10 coup and his picking Rodrigo Duterte to run against Mar Roxas in 2016.
A year or two earlier, he’d correctly identified the shortcomings of our Fifth Republic, but his proposals to address its flaws not only failed to convince, but invited a crippling collision with public opinion and the gatekeepers of our newly restored democracy (the media, the Catholic Church, and civil society), in a rally presided over by Cory Aquino and Cardinal Sin. His Charter change effort limped along until it was run over legally after the Supreme Court gutted people’s initiative as a viable alternative to Congress’ unviable, because procedurally impossible, inability to propose amendments. He would repeatedly return to his proposals which he’d revive after each political intervention calculated to maintain political relevance but which, ironically, ensured the dissipation of his influence: His decision to support Gloria Macapagal Arroyo in her moment of maximum danger in 2005, and his throwing his support behind Rodrigo Duterte in 2016.
Obviously, Ramos will not earn a place in the Yellowtard Hall of Fame. MLQ3 makes mincemeat of Ramos’ pushing for charter change as his term was about to end. Tabako saw that it would take more than one term for reforms to be fully implemented, monitored and tweak. I wouldn’t put it beyond him to think he was the country’s best bet to lead the nation given his efforts to please all the sectors which mattered in order to win their support.
Just look at how even the leftist-militant groups have showered praise on him. Ramos helped them establish their power bloc through the repeal of the anti-subversion law and the passage of the enabling law for the party-list system.
The reason why we are in the mess we find ourselves in thirty-six years after is the failure of Apo Lakay to formulate and implement a succession plan. This lit the fire of internecine warfare in his camp and paved the way for a Brutus to engineer the events of 1983.
BBM can’t afford to make the same mistake but not about succession. Marcos should now make the decision about the long-term direction of the country if it is to finally realize its full potential. No less than both GMA and Duterte have said that a change in political structure is necessary. Marcos should make clear this early what his plans are for federalism.
The programs he detailed in his SONA cannot be completed in six years given the state of the bureaucracy and the present challenges facing the country due to geopolitical developments.
To my mind, we should pursue a different development path because our agriculture sector has fallen far behind. There is no way to jumpstart it to immediately contribute to economic growth and provide food security to Filipinos.
The bulk of our foreign exchange comes from OFWs and BPOs. Let’s make our OFWs the best of the best in skilled labor by equipping them with skillsets that meet or exceed international standards. The BPOs need better telco infrastructure in terms of internet speed and physical infrastructure as well. Let’s provide them with both to spur regional development by putting both into place in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.
Marcos didn’t mention Mindanao in his SONA but it plays a key role in our goal of food security. Peace has finally come though there is still the MNLF to contend with. This can be solved if there is a shift to a federal parliamentary system so our Western Mindanao Muslim brothers can have their own regional government.
The Yellowidiots have done nothing for the country and their countrymen except to foment divisiveness, hate and discrimination. Why discrimination? Just look at how they claim to be for the poor and marginalized but keep on spewing elitist statements, thinking they know best when they haven’t made any significant achievements when they were in power. Just think, did Naga progress under the Robredo’s?
Let’s not pay too much attention anymore to our 15 million countrymen who voted for the opposition. They will eventually come to their right minds. The best way to convert them is to show tangible change.
And this early, Marcos should already see the weaknesses of his administration. Strategic communication is one. There is no unifying theme that Filipinos can identify with. Baliscacan’s pronouncements leave much to be desired. It is better if Karl Chua is put back at NEDA. With Chua, Marcos gets the data he needs and can set KPIs. Balisacan is all about policy statements which are motherhood in nature. There is no counterpart legisaltion to his policy statements unlike the previous administration where the economic team actually proposed the required legislation.
Marcos should be bolder because he has the mandate.
Comentários