‘In the service of the nation’

The words above will be probably what President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo will be remembered by. She caught the nation by surprise when she announced yesterday that she was not going to run in the 2004 presidential election.

Her reason for reaching that decision may not be clear to us at this time. Developments during the past few weeks have been draining to any Head of State, and it will be understandable if she became sick and tired of the ulterior motives attached to any of her activities, and those of her relatives. She has more than one-a-half years left to prove that she can do things "in the service of the nation", and not for her own interest.

I for one hold the President in high esteem and I congratulate her for her boldness to give up power which men of lesser virtues covet to hold on to for eternity.

The reactions to the President’s decision has been mostly favorable.

Former Senator and Education Secretary Raul S. Roco issued a statement praising the President’s move. He said: "President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo should be commended. Her announcement adheres to the spirit of the constitution: A president consecrated to the ‘service of the nation’ protected from the self-seeking temptations of re-election. For 2003, we renew commitment to truth, justice and honesty in government. We owe it to the Filipino people!"

My NGO boss, Saeed A. Daof of the Center for the Promotion of Peace and Development of Mindanao, issued a statement saying, "The President displayed indomitable statesmanship and sincerity in advancing the cause of unity and progress of our country and people at a great sacrifice to her political career when she announced that she will not run anymore for President and instead, she will focus her efforts on implementing the plans and programs stated in the goals of her administration."

What happens next is something the nation will watch out for. One question will be, who will run for president in 2004? Certainly, Raul Roco will, and the next question will be, who will be his running mate? Vice-President Teofisto Guingona Jr.? Why not? They will make a formidable team – Roco from Bicolandia, and Guingona from Mindanao. Both of them had been eased out of their Cabinet positions for reasons we really could not fathom; each has a good following shored up by their good and clean records as government officials working for "the service of the nation ."

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Speaker Jose de Venecia also expressed the statesmanship of the president for her decision. With GMA not running for president in 2004, this development is a good opportunity in accelerating the change from our present system to the parliamentary system of government. Many have been telling this columnist that the parliamentary system will minimize, if not, rid our government of graft and corruption in as much as parliamentarians can be voted out of office by their peers. If this is so, then we should go parliamentary, by all means.

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Last year, Johnnetta B. Cole was in town, giving us women in media the opportunity to listen to one of America’s "national treasures". Johnnetta became president of Spelman College.

In 1987, becoming the first African American woman to head the historically black college for women. A renowned author, teacher and leader, Dr. Cole assumed in 1998 the position of Presidential Distinguished Professor of Anthropology, Women’s Studies, and African American Studies at Emory University.

During our meeting, Dr. Cole gave out copies of a small book she has written, entitled Dream the Boldest Dreams.

The collection of aphorisms conveys her thoughts on a variety of engaging and timely subjects, including education, women, work, growth, leadership, and harmony. To greet the New Year so we can dream even more boldly than before, let us listen to Dr. Cole’s aphorisms.

• "The best response to the long list of social ills is to put into effect the Noah principle. That is, stop looking for credit for predicting the rain, it’s time to start building an ark."

• "A truly determined woman will succeed in doing what society has determined she is incapable of doing."

• "Women who do not love themselves can hardly be expected to feel that way about a man."

• "One of the best ways to use one’s wisdom is to discover what is in reality common sense."

"It is more important to understand what you learned during a given hour than what you did while it passed."

"Some of the very best ideas begin in our hearts. Then we can send them to our heads for a kind of intellectual affirmation."

• "Each of us has the power of transforming the ordinary into the extraordinary – the everyday into the special. To do so is far more rewarding than going the other way around."

My best wishes for a blessed and Happy New Year!

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My e-mail address: [email protected]