The real role of a critical opposition

To keep a ruling government on its toes, there’s no doubt that – in a working democracy – an active and critical opposition must exist. For those in high office inevitably tend to become arrogant and insensate unless there is an outspoken opposition party or coalition to remind them to curb their appetites.

On the other hand, in critical times, when every hand is needed to pull at sails while our ship of state (pardon the hoary expression) flounders in heavy seas and shudders in the wave alarmingly close to the reefs, I believe the opposition’s duty is to be less "critical" but instead more constructive, if not outright cooperative. This is no time for political fun and games or "payback" for personal feathers ruffled or slights taken to heart.

US Treasury Secretary Paul O’Neill gave the game away the other day when he attempted to dismiss claims that the dollar was overvalued and argued that concerns over the burgeoning US trade deficit were based on "trivial and wrong notions." Observers and analysts immediately took the situation to be the very opposite, concluding that the dollar was in the process of "weakening" and might very soon be in real decline. As my former Senate reporter in the defunct Evening News (later to be a Presidential aide) Jacobo "Jake" Clave used to retort everytime I chided him that his story had been denied: "Sir, the first denial is the first confirmation."

If the dollar drops, my fear is that our faltering peso will go down with it. Americans, who’ve struggled with too "strong" a dollar for years, may welcome its weakening, but we won’t benefit. On the contrary, the peso will become even shakier than ever.

In these uncertain times, therefore, the appeal made by the State of the Nation Address (SONA) for a temporary end to bickerings and attacks makes sense. It’s time for all of us to pull together and leave the squabbling to less desperate times. For instance, after Senator Edong Angara got his blistering counter-SONA off his chest, it’s time for the President to extend the olive branch to him –and for him to graciously accept it – so GMA and Angara can cooperate on the senator’s "one million hectares for one million jobs" plan. Even though the scheme was first unveiled when Angara was Agriculture Secretary then Executive Secretary of the now-deposed President Estrada, it remains the most feasible and doable plan around. Let’s cast politics aside. All-out food production must be our goal. Foreign investment? Forget it. Nobody’s coming, no matter how hard we try to tart up our shattered image.

The opposition, it must be said, does not come to the debating table with clean hands. Most of them, so vociferous against GMA and their favorite bogey-man, First Gentleman Mike Arroyo, were the same acolytes who collaborated enthusiastically with Erap during the heyday of the "Jose Velarde" scandal, the jueteng controversy, the luxury houses "embarrassment", and the impeachment trial, drinking it up in the Palace while literally begging with their eyes for a share of the booty, even just balato or some crumbs from the master’s table. They can’t assume the mantle of heroism now. What they can do is sober up and give the current administration some much-needed slack. They can redeem themselves by pitching in for an all-out material effort to ensure not just our survival but success.

As for GMA, she ought to harken to the words of the late King Hussein of Jordan, the plucky little warrior king of that Hashemite desert kingdom, sandwiched between powerful neighbors like Israel and Iraq. When he was once accused of having received "aid" for Jordan which was later discovered to have been funded by the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), the doughty king snorted: "I’d take money from the devil if it meant saving my country."

The Philippines must be in worse shape. Not even the devil is offering us a bribe.

As for First Gentleman Mike Arroyo, perhaps he could be gently sent out of the "bull’s-eye" target area and out of harm’s way by appointing him Ambassador to Lagos, Nigeria. By the way, that country is the source of the notorious "Nigerian Scam" which has victimized thousands of people around the world for years and although exposed and written about dozens of times, still merrily rakes in suckers (as old PT Barnum laughed, there’s "one born every minute"), eager for fast profit.

Mike would be happy there–taking photographs.

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My proofreader must be out to make me look ridiculous, or, at least, anti-semitic. In yesterday’s column, this writer wrote about Vice President Guingona’s plan to "empower" some of our eight million OFWs (Overseas Filipino Workers) by giving them scholarships and on-the-job training. The gentleman Guingona had placed in charge of this endeavor was former Dean Merlin Magalona. My comment was: "If the Dean can pull as many scholarships as rabbits out of his hat, he will be a Merlin, indeed."

To my horror, the line came out, as published: "If the Dean can pull out as many scholarships as rabbi out of his hat…" Have you ever tried to pull a Jewish rabbi out of your hat? He’ll throw the Torah at you, then drag you off to Jerusalem to bang your head against the "wailing wall."

As for my sleepy proofreader, I order: A scourging at the pillar! You’ve got to get into the mood of those times.

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Philip Bowring has sympathetic words for President GMA in his article yesterday (Thursday) in the International Herald Tribune.

His piece was headlined "Arroyo and Megawati: Similar Backgrounds and Challenges."

Bowring notes: "Indonesia’s new leader could do worse than keep any eye on the progress and problems of her neighbor Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. The two daughters of former presidents came to power in roughly similar circumstances. Both need to prove that they are not beholden to the military and the metropolitan elites which toppled their predecessors.

"Both need to show that they can make good governance the centerpiece of national revival, promote reform without driving away tainted but needed capital.

"Six months into the job, Mrs. Arroyo is showing that determination, good sense, and hard work can overcome formidable obstacles. But they may not be enough to meet the excessive and contradictory expectations of the so-called People Power II coalition that ousted President Joseph Estrada and to make significant progress in addressing fundamental ills.

"Mrs. Arroyo came to power in constitutionally more dubious circumstances than Megawati Sukarnoputri. She also faced the wrath of a large minority of the population, notably of the poor, who resented the treatment of Mr. Estrada and had little faith that this daughter of the elite would do more than pay lip service to their needs."

"So far she has shown a better understanding of the real issues facing the country than has been recognized by the Makati financial and commercial sector, which wields inordinate influence over a largely rural and pre-industrial economy heavily dependent on remittances from emigrés. But Makati determines the level of the peso and stock market, and those are the yardsticks by which the country is usually measured.

"The peso is almost back to its Estrada crisis low against the dollar despite the central bank’s efforts to squeeze speculators and limit dollar access. Stocks have fallen 20 percent since the euphoria which followed Mr. Estrada’s ouster last January.

"The plus side of the Arroyo ledger is rather longer than these numbers suggest. Congressional elections in May gave her control of the House and a comfortable, if not overwhelming, position in the Senate . . ."

Bowring goes on to report that "the government’s limited resources are to be focused on a stagnant agricultural sector that is disgorging its unemployed into the towns, and on improving housing and amenities for the urban poor. The President has made efforts to address grassroots issues and listen to the socialist activist as well as business members of the People Power II coalition."

That’s a candid and fair enough assessment from an experienced foreign journalist and a former editor, unless I’m mistaken, of the Far East Economic Review.

Bowring has pointed out one defect in GMA’s attempt to appease both the Left and the Right, who both claim to have swept her to power. The radicals, at the moment, have her ear, giving her such absurd ideas as proposing "a voluntary cut" in salaries for the bureaucracy? Reduce the pay of our bureaucrats? They’ll begin stealing and blackmailing even more! So, enough harebrained measures from your furry-minded advisers, Mrs. Arroyo!

Bowring suggests that "Mrs. Megawati (who’s just taken over in next-door Indonesia) would do well to copy" GMA’s style. "Can the two women co-opt the forces of reform while keeping the military on the sidelines, business interests supportive and traditional money politics at arm’s length? It is a tall order."

No quip, I’m sure, intended.

In closing, beware of the military, Madam President. There are some adventurists within their secret ranks, egged on by retired generals. They once tasted power, and some of them never learn. Too much loose talk, finally, creates more trouble than necessary. So, the President must not jump at shadows, but be ready – behind her back – with a big club.