Wishes for Noynoy

Not quite officially declared by Congress as the 15th president of this nation, much less having taken his oath of office, Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III is finding himself in an unenviable position of receiving tons of unsolicited advice that hopes to solve just about any and all ills of this nation.

Even cyberspace is filled with propositions for this orphaned only-son of two Philippine icons in the political tableau. They range from how to combat corruption, reform the ailing bureaucracy, or to retake the leadership that the Philippine once enjoyed in Asia.

Advice ranges from the trivial (how to quit smoking or getting his youngest sister Kris to fulfill a pledge to migrate to the US) to the more weighty (who to appoint among the former presidential opponents to key cabinet positions).

In fact, it takes much more time to sift through ‘Dear Noynoy’ and other web blogs, and to distinguish the substantial from the noise than it took to count the votes that had been cast by about 40 million Filipinos last May 10.

Filipinos show they care

What is becoming clear at this point is that Filipinos are showing a decided interest in getting more involved in matters of the sovereign. What was thought to be just a fad – the Philippine map shirts and yellow ribbon stickers – is turning out to be much more meaningful. Call it a resurgence in nationalism.

It probably helped that the May 10 polls were relatively quick and credible, providing a clear picture of the outcome as early as four hours after the voting booths had closed.

With what appears to be a landslide victory with no serious challenge of a long drawn-out protest, all focus can now be given to the real winner of this last election, i.e., the entire Philippine nation.

And now, the harder part of this whole exercise begins. This is the part that requires Noynoy to be skilled, discerning and firm, for people around him to be rightfully qualified and selfless, and for the entire nation to be cooperative and patient.

Damage of corruption

A lot of damage had been wrought by previous leaders, from the time of Ferdinand Marcos to outgoing President Gloria Arroyo. This has stunted the growth potential of the nation, which in the 60s was perceived to be the most promising economy in the Asian region.

Corruption has pillaged the country’s resources and turned the unscrupulous practices of patronage and rent-seeking into a culture that permeates the bureaucracy.

Corruption has become an accepted way of life, from wiggling out of traffic violation, to reducing tax payments, to tweaking court decisions, and to ‘winning’ public works projects.

Corruption is practically everywhere, and has been a major reason why the state budget is in a chronic state of deficit and public debt continues to escalate.

Poverty has become entrenched, driving the nation’s bright and determined professionals and skilled workers to jobs overseas, leaving our hospitals lacking in doctors, our mines and geosciences bereft of geologists, and the entire public system short of talent and passion.

What we need

How will one man, even with the purest of hearts and the greatest of intentions, solve the conundrum that is the Philippine society? Surely, he cannot, at least not on his own.

I think we are all smart enough to know that the problems are far greater than any one person can remedy, and most definitely not by a snap of a finger or a magic wand.

We all have views of what this country needs. Noynoy, for sure, knows all the ills of his beloved Philippines. What’s more important now is what Noynoy, the man we have chosen to lead us, will need.

We don’t even want to presume we know that. But we surely wish our incoming president the following:

Focus – There are way too many problems, something that Noynoy is sure to inherit when he assumes office. There is the issue of Arroyo’s appointment of Chief Justice Renato Corona, her alleged wrongdoings, the budget deficit, the growing ranks of the poor. It is so easy to be overwhelmed and distracted.

Balance – Justice is good and right, especially in pursuing cases of stolen wealth and corruption of previous leaders. The same energy must be utilized in gradually reforming the Bureau of Internal Revenue, Customs and Public Works. While requiring government workers to step up their performance, their salaries must also be raised.

Foresight – The right people must be appointed to positions where they will do most good. We could imagine there is too much jostling going on right now, too many vested interests being pushed. It would probably help to create a select group of independent-minded headhunters, especially for such key cabinet positions as executive secretary and heads of finance, budget, BIR and Customs.

Truthfulness – We chose Noynoy foremost for his anti-corruption stance, and that is where we will bind him the most. He should ensure that the people he will appoint have the same integrity. Should he realize otherwise, we trust he will have the political will to right the wrong.

Longevity – Personal health is very important for such a stressful job. There will surely be lots of times when Noynoy will just want to give up. That is when he will need us the most. And he will need us to be patient and to know that nothing is ever achieved overnight.

We dare say people power is back. It is one that no longer needs us clamoring for democracy in the streets. With Noynoy, we have discovered that the true power of democracy is in each of us.

Philippine Collegiate Champions League (PCCL) website

Collegiate basketball fans are invited to visit the official website of the Champions League, www.CollegiateChampionsLeague.net, to join for free the latest contest launched in connection with the ongoing FilOil Flying V Pre-Season tournament where 17 UAAP and NCAA teams are participating. Surprise gifts will be awarded to those who can guess the top four teams at the end of the pre-season tournament. 

Should you wish to share any insights, write me at Link Edge, 25th Floor, 139 Corporate Center, Valero Street, Salcedo Village, 1227 Makati City. Or e-mail me at [email protected]. For a compilation of previous articles, visit www.BizlinksPhilippines.net.