Why GMA should stay

They rooted for Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in last year’s presidential campaign, and they are rooting even more fiercely for her now, at this time when, they feel, she needs their support most. They were at the SONA, resplendent in Philippine ternos and clapping with the audience when their icon said something worthwhile – 33 times. Tuesday this week, six of them were at the Bulong Pulungan sa Westin Philippine Plaza, a weekly media forum where newsmakers talk about current issues.

Tuesday’s issue was the President, and the women resource speakers are the faithful, loyal type who will defend her to the death. They are members of civic organizations – too many to mention here, but they speak with one voice. The most empathic of them was Angie Barrera, former instructor at Assumption Convent whose most prominent student was Gloria Macapagal. Gloria, she said, was articulate, spoke her mind, but always showed respect for her mentors. Gloria has guts, will stay firm in whatever decision she makes.

The internationally famous of the six was Loida Nicolas Lewis, an attorney by profession (she was the first Asian woman to pass the New York bar), and chair and CEO of the TLC Beatrice, LLC, the Lewis Family investment firm. She is chair of BISYON2020 (Business for Integrity for the Nation) which, she said at the Bulong Pulungan, seeks to remove corruption in government by Year 2020. She is also chair of the NAFFAA, National Federation of Filipino American Associations in the United States.

Below are glimpses into the lively discussion at the Bulong Pulungan.

As to the "Hello Garcie" tapes, Evelyn Kilayko, the soft-spoken dentist from Bacolod City who once chaired the Concerned Women of the Philippines, said "Initially I did not believe they existed. I felt people were after the neck of the President." But true or not, she wants the judgment to be the result of a constitutional process – impeachment, in this case – and not out of hysteria.

That the SONA made no mention of the Garcie tapes was right, said Loida. It was just right that no mention was made of jueteng, nor of the charges being raised against her family. "Why talk of negatives?" For her the President had "turned the corner," she had "located the Philippines where it is."

Evelyn was co-chair with Mely Nicolas of Kagabay, a very large organization of women working for the election of Mrs. Arroyo in last year’s election. Ironically, Mely, who was appointed chair of the National Anti-Poverty Commission, resigned along with nine other Cabinet members three weeks ago. Their parting of ways, however, does not mean the end of their friendship, said Evelyn, who holds Mely in high esteem.

Loida said she and Mely had long talks over the phone about her decision to resign from the Cabinet. Loida said, "We agreed to disagree and not be disagreeable about it."

Baby Caparas, who said she is "a housewife . . . (but) who is concerned about issues." She agreed with Angie on the rightness of having a Constitutional Assembly work on the changing of the charter.

The present legislators, said Angie, had been elected by their constituents, who are we to judge that they will not make good members of Parliament? The people’s choice must be respected.

Someone asked whether Gloria would survive the present crisis.

From Loida, a resounding "Yes!"

From Angie: "Yes, she has more guts than men… In a democracy, leaders survive if we support them."

Bessy Buencamino: Let the opposition bring forth their charges. The President can prove them wrong.

Peggy Vera: Yes, she will survive.

Angie: She has the lawyers to defend her. She can use everything allowed by the law to defend herself.

Bessy: The process of proving the President had done no wrong will take time. Many of us think our problems can be solved overnight. But the process, while taking long, is dynamic. As they say, No hay mal, que por bien no venga (There is no evil that does not bring good.)

Angie: No one is expected in a democracy to be a saint. "That’s why I react strongly to the proposal that she resign."

Loida: "I don’t accept this thing about her having undergone a "damaged culture." I don’t accept that. We’re all intelligent here. People think she is frightened, that she will resign. But she did not, and she will not. I am glad about that.

As to the question on whether gender has something to do with her being harassed, Loida said that when Cory Aquino was president, several coup d’etats were aimed at toppling her from Malacañang, and now, with the second female president, charges of wrongdoing are being lodged against her. "May sexism dito. They cannot stand it that a woman is president."

Loida said that she watched the President’s daughter, Luli, being interviewed on television. "The interview was mind-boggling." The daughter said that her mother is a human being, she can cry and feel frustrated, that she is result-oriented.

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The Capital Youth Chamber Orchestra, which is composed of outstanding young musicians from high schools in the Washington, D.C. area, will perform tonight, at 6:30, at the Escaler Hall, Science Education Center, Ateneo de Manila University. The concert is jointly sponsored by Berea Arts and Sciences High School and Ateneo’s Pathways to Higher Education program. The performance will be for the benefit of Pay-It-Forward Foundation, the organization supporting Berea Arts and Sciences High School.

On Monday, at 1 p.m., the group will conduct a lecture/demonstration and concert in Vista Verde for the students and parents of Berea Arts and Sciences High School and invited guests from other schools. At 4:30 p.m., at the invitation of the Music Education Department of the UP College of Music, it will perform for students from high schools in Quezon City at the Abelardo Hall in Diliman. From Manila, the group will proceed to Silliman University for a series of concerts and interactions.

The concert series is an offshoot of a prior visit to the Philippines by the orchestra’s conductor, Daniel Fissell.

The Pay-It-Forward Foundation is a non-stock, non-profit organization that supports students through scholarships, part-time employment, income-generating activities and other forms of technical assistance. It provides intensive and economical continuing opportunities to teachers of mathematics, sciences and languages at all education levels. It also offers development programs to people involved in Christian ministry, such as clergy, lay workers, and music ministers.

Berea Arts and Sciences High School (BASHS) is a progeny of Loyola Student Center (LSC), a tutorial and review center on Katipunan Road, Loyola Heights, Quezon City. LSC has been in existence for 19 years. Its proprietor, Aurelio P. Ramos Jr., set it up to develop students holistically and provide opportunities especially for financially disadvantaged students to learn well and apply their learning in further development and in productive endeavors.

For inquiries, call 4364402.

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My e-mail: [email protected]