Musical chairs

It’s just the second week of the year so people are still willing to give President Arroyo time to implement the reforms she has promised. But it gets harder every day to hold back criticism as we watch the Cabinet reshuffle unfold.

You already know the criticisms (and puzzled looks) that greeted the appointment of Simeon Datu-manong as secretary of justice. Maybe he’ll prove us wrong and shine in his new post, but for now I haven’t met anyone who is impressed with his appointment.

The revamp is starting to look less like a shakeup than a recycling exercise. And the recycled officials seem to be having an identity crisis. Yesterday morning, there was Agrarian Reform Secretary Hernani Braganza on radio, saying there would be a wider Cabinet revamp. He sounded more like the presidential spokesman than the press secretary; he probably thinks the functions are interchangeable. Hours later his move to the Office of the Press Secretary was announced, to take effect "sometime next week," according to the new spokesman, Ignacio Bunye.

No wonder Braganza was so eager to encourage his colleagues in the Cabinet to tender their courtesy resignations at the start of the year. He was already assured of a new position.

What’s this story, by the way, that former spokesman Rigoberto Tiglao tried to block Braganza’s appointment as press secretary? Intrigues in the snake pit start even before the arrival of a new official.

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Then there’s Bayani Fernando, who seems interested in getting many of the functions of the Department of Public Works and Highways without assuming the helm of the DPWH. Fernando can’t give up his family’s construction business so he’s staying on at the Metro Manila Development Authority instead of moving to the DPWH. At least this is one official who worries about conflict of interest.

Yesterday he took over the traffic engineering functions of the DPWH. Not that I mind — perhaps now the "smart" traffic lights of Metro Manila will finally function smartly.

But all that hemming and hawing after Malacañang had announced his appointment to the DPWH was not good for his boss President Arroyo, the Chief Executive and commander-in-chief. What ever happened to "I serve at the pleasure of the President?" I didn’t know it was "I serve where I want to serve."

Also, there were reports that Fernando wanted both the MMDA and DPWH. Say it isn’t so, BF. No matter how great you or other people think you are, that smacks of greed. It sounds better in Filipino: Kaswapangan.

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The game of musical chairs in the Cabinet has fueled speculations that with just 18 months left, no one wants to join the Arroyo administration. Another theory: after the departure of Hernando Perez from the Cabinet and the President’s withdrawal from the 2004 race, she no longer sees a need for sweeping changes in her official family.

What has happened to the search committee headed by Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Avelino Cruz? This is one of the setbacks of that withdrawal from the 2004 race — it makes headhunting all that much harder. President Arroyo may simply shrug and continue her game of musical chairs. But after her dramatic announcement on Dec. 30, we were expecting her to hit the ground running in 2003. Instead she’s giving the impression of plodding along.

Even the repeated postponement of her "major policy speech" smacks of hesitation to implement reforms. One more day and we’ll see if she’ll prove us wrong. Unless the policy speech is once again postponed.

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My guess is the President has one month, tops, to surprise the nation with bold initiatives before public impatience – or apathy – sets in. Her withdrawal from the 2004 elections raised public expectations for reforms to levels similar to the days after EDSA Dos. The only difference is that this time, if she fails to live up to expectations within the year, it won’t matter much to her since she’s no longer seeking a six-year term.

Of course it would matter a lot if she plans – as her critics suspect – to change her mind at the last minute and stand for elections after all. This scenario is supposed to happen if 2003 proves to be such a successful year for the Arroyo administration. As I said, we’re wishing her the best – her success is the nation’s success – but I don’t know how she can keep her credibility intact if she changes her mind about not running.

Yesterday there were reports that her partymates in Lakas were courting her former education secretary Raul Roco as their standard bearer. If Roco is drafted, will the President endorse him as her successor?

If the President changes her mind about not running, she would need to trot out some dramatic accomplishments to the electorate. But with the massive problems bedeviling this country, there’s not much that can be accomplished in 18 months, except to lay the foundations for long-term improvements. If the President’s initiatives prove to be successful, another leader in the near future will reap the fruits of her labors. This generation wants instant gratification, and you don’t get that from the person who lays the groundwork for progress.

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What do we expect from her in the next 18 months? We want her to pave the way for ensuring a sustainable and adequate supply of electricity and potable water. We want her to do something about squatters and the population boom.

We want her to lay the foundations for a better education system – one that will give Filipinos proper training in information technology, one that gives emphasis on the teaching of science, mathematics and English.

We want her to implement reforms that will minimize opportunities for graft, smuggling and tax evasion. We want her to make the Philippines safe for residents and foreigners alike so tourists and investors will arrive, create jobs and help reduce poverty.

Those are monumental challenges even for a president serving a regular term. If President Arroyo thinks she can do something about the problems without changing her official team, we can only hope for the best.