The prime of Dinky Soliman

This might be the prime of Corazon "Dinky" Soliman, the Cabinet Secretary closest to the President who almost lost her job but got it back before her replacement took over. The Social Welfare and Development head has been in the news recently – because her post was supposed to have been given to Vice-President Noli de Castro, and because she was shown on television shouting like hell at media persons who had created pandemonium around Angelo de Castro at his homecoming in Pampanga that they could have killed him at his doorstep.

At Bulong Pulungan at the Westin Philippine Plaza Tuesday, Dinky was guest of honor, coming in late because she had to clarify with her boss, President Macapagal-Arroyo, that indeed Vice President de Castro had decided not to take on the social welfare post. Her smile was as cheery as the six-color streak on her hair.

Her first words were in praise of the Vice-President; she said, "I salute him for his selflessness and leadership, for putting the unity and harmony of the government over his own interest." Mr. De Castro had indeed been offered the job by the President shortly before their proclamation. But he probably saw and felt the negative reaction to his taking a "lollipop" from Dinky, and he told the President he was not accepting the post after all.

Instead he is heading the National Anti-Poverty Commission, which supervises the anti-poverty programs of some 20 to 25 line agencies, including the DSWD. And Dinky told the Bulong Pulungan regulars that the Vice-President "is very well equipped" for the job.

She spoke about the meeting with the President in which social justice and basic needs of the people were discussed. We can expect programs to fight poverty, such as on livelihood development, agrarian and urban land reform, essential services such as power, water, and low-cost medicine, protection of vulnerable sectors (children, women and the disabled), and empowerment through what she called "townhall consultations."

She said the President did not mention the population issue in her State of the Nation Address, but in her inaugural address, she discussed responsible parenthood and birth spacing, and making available information on family planning methods, and of the decision on methods to be used depending on couple’s principles. Asked if the Catholic Church was in agreement about what seems to encourage pro-choice, Dinky said discussions have been held with the church on the matter of couple’s choices.

On why there is marked poverty in Mindanao, Dinky pointed to poverty and lack of educational facilities. She talked about efforts being conducted to close the "classroom gap" within three years.

As to Frank Evaristo’s question on stemming the tide of Filipino workers seeking jobs abroad, Dinky said the President’s main economic agenda is offering livelihood opportunities and pushing small and medium enterprises. With good jobs at home, why will people seek employment in another country?

She noted a correlation between poverty and the insurgency in Mindanao, but that government and the NPA and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front peace efforts have so far resulted in a ceasefire.

As social welfare secretary, she has exposure to the poor and marginalized, to the victims of natural and man-made disasters, and the disabled. She finds it imperative for the Anti-Poverty Commission to have all disabled persons registered if only to allow for looking at their specific needs. There are from 6-8 million disabled persons in the country, she said.

About the relocation of line agencies – Dinky said the move gets the agencies to be "attuned to the reality on the ground." This move, of course, has still to be appreciated by observers, including this columnist. Why should the tourism department be installed in Cebu, for example, not Davao? Or why should the education department be located in Bicol? Dinky’s position is to wait and see the disadvantages of relocating the agencies. As to where her department will be, she and the audience laughed when the press forum moderator, Deedee Siytangco, suggested, "Payatas." Dinky said she will go wherever the President will send her. That’s the good and faithful follower.

Some time was devoted to the discussion on media actuations. Dinky said first of all that what had been projected about her reaction to Mr. De Castro’s getting her "lollipop" post was all wrong. She had said at a press ambush, ambush it was, I believe, that she had "a warm and compassionate and candid relationship" with Mr. De Castro, but she felt no sense "of betrayal," of having been betrayed by the President. But as it turned out, she was taken out of context. Betrayal is quite a strong word, and talking of her trust being betrayed by the President is not quite in her vocabulary.

She spoke about her agony with the media, particularly about reporters and photographers swooping down on Angelo de la Cruz as he alighted from the van that brought him and his family to his hometown in Pampanga. The children were caught in what could be described as a melee, and one of them was hit by a camera, and another was nearly trampled upon by the rampaging mediamen. Unable to contain herself, Dinky shouted, "Out! Out!" to the media persons. "Editors should teach their reporters good ethics," she said.

She recalled that news had filtered about Angelo de la Cruz’s imminent decapitation, and reporters sought out relatives of the truck driver. One of them was sleeping, and she was awakened by a reporter who said, "Angelo is going to be beheaded." The relative, of course, was shocked, not only at the news, but at the bearer of the news.

Dinky said she will never forget the image of the reporter who was shown on television asking a child who was half-buried in concrete slabs in Nueva Ecija, "How do you feel?"

She laments the paradox of Angelo de la Cruz’s plight. He was taken hostage for days, was released, and brought back to the Philippines and was treated like a hero. But the media has made his life a nightmare. Some monetary contributions were made to the family, but people think the de la Cruzes have received a lot of money. The family has to spend what little they were given on food for the guests and everyone who wants to see and hug a celebrity. Dinky said, Angelo whispered to her, "Ma’am, natatakot ako." (I’m scared.)

Angelo may have been saved from his captors, but not from the errant Philippine media.

National Press Club officers, and editors will have to teach their reporters good conduct in covering events.

* * *

E-mail: [email protected]