Dealing with critics

If there is one thing admirable about President Arroyo, it is her singlemindedness when she believes she is right and when she knows that she is doing the right thing.

She has the ability to make people toe the line so to speak. She is decisive and does not care whether what she is doing is popular or not.

Unlike President Cory Aquino who was our “unifying” leader and who came across as a mother of our nation and “tita” to many, qualities I and millions others admire and which were needed at that moment in our history, President Arroyo had to come out strong, at the risk of popularity. Because if she did not, the opposition would have eaten her alive a long time ago.

Many who thought that she would bow down to pressures for her to announce that she was stepping down as President after her term were disappointed. But why should she make such an announcement? She never said wants an extension of her term, nor has she ever said that she wants to be reelected. To dignify baseless criticisms by giving them her assurance would be to dignify the existence of her oppositors.

After all, as she said, her term does not end until next year and that until then, there is still so much to do as head of state.

But did she succeed as President?

President Arroyo credits the country’s ability to weather the succession of crises fuel, food, and finance, and the global recession to the initiatives of her administration in making sure that the economic fundamentals intact as well to various reforms.

In her state-of-the-nation address, she cited the new tax revenue measures, housing policies, investments in the agricultural sector, as among the key reforms that her administration initiated.

Many of these, in particular the tax measures, were unpopular decisions.

The problem with those criticizing her means is that all they did was criticize. Being President is not easy. Imagine having to deal with your own problems as well as the problems of millions of Filipinos every single day. Faced with a number of possible solutions, at the end of the day, the President has to decide. Good that she never had to decide whether or not to bomb another country. Some of her decisions may have been questionable and some would have offered an alternative if not a better solution, but making the decision and having to face critics every single day to defend them will never be easy. One has to be made of sterner stuff to be able to tell everyone that a decision has to be made, make sure that everyone follows, and then deal with the consequences later on.

True, she is the leader of this nation and that the success or failure of it reflects on her. But President Arroyo is not the government. What have her critics done to help our country? Have they given up their expensive cars? Did they ever lead modest lifestyles? Many of these critics have their own personal agenda and their criticisms hardly have moral suasion, which is probably the reason why President Arroyo is still our President. Let them run this Republic if they can come up with a better plan.

As for the common tao, what have we done for our country? We blame the President for our problems but have we done our share to make this country better? As for those aspiring to become the next president of the Republic, are their plans of action better than Mrs. Arroyo’s? It is easy to say “babangon tayo” but how?

President Arroyo has less than a year left in office. Instead of making themselves popular, these presidential aspirants should probably spend the year proving to the people that while in their own little way, they had made a difference in the lives of Filipinos, faced with a bigger task, they can rise to the occasion.  

Political will

Speaking of political will, House Speaker Prospero Nograles has a lot of explaining to do to the constituents of the first district of Laguna.

In spite of the decision of the House of Representatives Electoral Tribunal (HRET) declaring Rep. Danilo Fernandez ineligible as congressman for lack of the required residency having attained its finality more than two months ago, Fernandez remains in the roll of House members.

Last Dec. 16, 2008, the HRET declared Fernandez ineligible for the office of representative of the first district of Laguna for lack of residence in the district and ordered him to vacate his office.

On April 30, the decision became final and executory after the HRET denied Fernandez’ motion for reconsideration. On May 11, the decision was entered in the book of entries of judgment.

Fernandez’ went to the Supreme Court by way of certiorari and injunction on the ground of grave abuse of discretion. But because the SC did not issue a TRO, the decision of the HRET remains to be executory, even while the petition for certiorari is pending.

HRET decisions are not appealable to the Supreme Court, the tribunal being the sole judge of all contests relating to election, returns, and qualifications of House members. Thus, the only remedy available is to question the HRET decision via a special civil action of certiorari to the SC on the ground of grave abuse of discretion amounting to lack or excess of jurisdiction. A petition for certiorari is not an appeal and its mere filing does not prevent the HRET decision from becoming final and executory, unless the SC issues a TRO, which in Fernandez’ case, the High Court opted not to.

Under the HRET rules of procedure, it is the House Speaker, through the Secretary General, who shall execute the final and executory decision, and a notice of judgment to the House suffices for the Speaker to order the Secretary General to execute the decision, according to the HRET. The notice of judgment was sent to the Office of the Speaker by the HRET on May 11.

Despite four letters made by petitioner, through counsel Sixto Brilliantes, for the Speaker to execute the decision, the latter has not lifted a finger to implement it.

Some sectors are now beginning to think that Fernandez’ belonging to the ruling Lakas-Kampi-CMD may have something to do with the Speaker’s inaction.

The HRET has spoken with finality. It is now Nograles’ duty to implement it.

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